What Is Acne?
Acne is the most common of all skin conditions, that will likely affect most people at some point in their life. In the majority of cases Acne affects the upper part of the body, most commonly the face, chest and back. The main symptoms associated with Acne are outbreaks of spots and oily skin, the skin may feel hot to touch and in extreme cases may even be painful. Most people will suffer from Acne, however the majority of cases will disappear by the time someone is past their mid-20s.
Types of Acne
Blackheads – Non-Inflammatory
Blackheads are small and black or occasionally yellowish in colour. They form on the outer layer of skin. The black colour comes from the oil or dead skin cells that have clogged the hair follicle at the centre of the blackhead. Blackheads are normally considered a fairly mild form of Acne.
Whiteheads – Non-Inflammatory
Whiteheads form in a similar way to Blackheads. They occur when a pore becomes blocked by bacteria, dead skin cells or oil. Whitehead are sealed within the pore which can make treatment slightly harder than with blackheads.
Papules – Inflammatory
A Papule is a small bump on the exterior of the skin, often red in colour. Papules are areas of raised skin tissue. They do not appear to have a “head” or centre, as other types of spot may, this is due to the lack of pus. When a Papule does develop pus, it has then evolved into a Pustule. Papules can appear quite angry and can be painful.
Pustules – Inflammatory
Pustules often evolve from Papules. They are small bumps on the outer layer of skin that contain fluid known as pus. Pustules can be painful to touch, they are red with a white centre. The area around them can often look red, irritated and inflamed.
Nodules – Inflammatory
Nodules are fairly large in size and often solid or hard to touch. Nodular Acne is formed when bacteria gets trapped in a pore in the skin and becomes infected. Nodules can be very painful and affect large areas. Unlike the other forms of Acne it can be difficult to treat Nodular Acne with an over-the-counter remedy.
Cysts – Inflammatory
Cystic Acne is the most aggressive type of Acne. Cysts are large, often pus-filled and very angry looking. Cystic Acne is formed deep under the skin. It is due to a combination of dead skin cells, oil and bacteria becoming trapped in pores. Cystic Acne can become very painful and take longer to clear.
Can You Prevent Acne?
While it is not necessarily possible to prevent Acne, in some cases it may be able to reduce the frequency of outbreaks or the severity of symptoms.
- Drink plenty of water and keep the skin hydrated. This is the simplest form of defence for the skin. Keeping the skin hydrated and healthy is the easiest step that can be made when trying to improve skin health.
- Wash the affected area with a mild soap or a natural cleanser. Use warm water rather than hot or cold water. The extreme temperature change of hot or cold water may cause Acne to flare up.
- Do not over wash the affected area. Twice a day, morning and night would normally help to reduce the irritation that can be caused by over-washing.
- Remove make-up before going to bed and never leave it on longer than necessary.
- Limit the amount of make-up or cosmetic products that are used on the skin.
- Avoid skincare products, make-up and cosmetic products that are oil-based. Using water based (non-comedogenic) as these will reduce blockages within follicles and pores that start Acne breakouts.
- DO NOT PICK OR POP SPOTS – This will often make them worse, take longer to heal and increase the risk of scarring.