Acne is Not the Same as Spots
There are various kinds of acne, named according to how or why the acne developed. Some of the forms of acne are: acne conglobata (chronic boils); acne fulminans (an extreme form of conglobata); acne cosmetica (caused by cosmetics); acne keloidalis nuchae (from shaving); acne medicamentosa (caused by starting or stopping a medication); acne rosacea (redness on the face); baby acne; hormonal acne; cloracne and the common variety, acne vulgaris (also known as 'puberty spots'). In this article, we will concentrate on acne vulgaris.
Acne vulgaris may be (defined|described as: 'an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits' (from Wikipedia).
Acne is most common in Western teens, although it does occur in every country in the world, so there may be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it may be an abnormal reaction to quite normal levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, the condition lasts only until adulthood, probably only a few years or at most ten. For others, however, it can be a life-long recurring problem. It usually affects the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris manifests itself in different many ways, including: whiteheads, resulting from pores which are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white spot on the surface; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not caused by dirt, but is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are like whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not often last for a long time; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a rather larger and much more painful kind of pustule and may sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps just under the skin. They often cause scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.
A 'cyst' can look like a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been described as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can leave scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst may cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which may last quite a bit longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have ways of reducing the swelling and preventing scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just not true that acne sufferers are not meticulous about washing.
In fact, excessive washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many useless 'treatments' on the market and many, many old wives' tales. However, any honest skin expert would tell you that there is no sure-fire cure for acne and that the patient should follow a deliberate regimen of cleansing until the acne just 'goes away' of its own accord.
Acne vulgaris may be (defined|described as: 'an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits' (from Wikipedia).
Acne is most common in Western teens, although it does occur in every country in the world, so there may be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it may be an abnormal reaction to quite normal levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, the condition lasts only until adulthood, probably only a few years or at most ten. For others, however, it can be a life-long recurring problem. It usually affects the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris manifests itself in different many ways, including: whiteheads, resulting from pores which are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white spot on the surface; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not caused by dirt, but is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are like whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not often last for a long time; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a rather larger and much more painful kind of pustule and may sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps just under the skin. They often cause scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.
A 'cyst' can look like a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been described as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can leave scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst may cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which may last quite a bit longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have ways of reducing the swelling and preventing scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just not true that acne sufferers are not meticulous about washing.
In fact, excessive washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many useless 'treatments' on the market and many, many old wives' tales. However, any honest skin expert would tell you that there is no sure-fire cure for acne and that the patient should follow a deliberate regimen of cleansing until the acne just 'goes away' of its own accord.
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