Acne Does Not Equal Zits
There are quite a few different forms of acne, depending on how or why the acne arose. 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 take a closer look at acne vulgaris.
Acne vulgaris may be 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' (see article on "Acne" in Wikipedia).
Acne is most usually found in white Western teenagers, although it is to be found in every country in the world, so there could be a genetic predisposition to it. It is possible that it may be an abnormal reaction to fairly average levels of testosterone. For most afflicted, the condition lasts only until the age of twenty or so, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it can be a life-long problem. It most often appears on the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris appears in various ways, which include: whiteheads, caused by pores which are totally blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the top; blackheads, caused by 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 lumps with no head and pustules, which are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not usually last long; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people call spots. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a much larger and more painful sort of pustule and can often last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps under the skin's surface. They frequently cause scarring and should never be squeezed, which could cause them to last for months longer still.
A 'cyst' can look similar to a nodule, but it is pus-filled, 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 deeper infection and more painful inflammation which will last very much longer than if it had been left alone. Skin experts have ways of lessening swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is not true that acne sufferers are not meticulous about cleanliness.
In fact, over washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many false 'cures' on the market and many, many old wives' tales. However, any honest skin expert would advise you that there is no sure-fire remedy for acne and that the patient should follow a deliberate regimen of cleaning until the acne just 'goes away' on its own.
Acne vulgaris may be 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' (see article on "Acne" in Wikipedia).
Acne is most usually found in white Western teenagers, although it is to be found in every country in the world, so there could be a genetic predisposition to it. It is possible that it may be an abnormal reaction to fairly average levels of testosterone. For most afflicted, the condition lasts only until the age of twenty or so, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it can be a life-long problem. It most often appears on the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris appears in various ways, which include: whiteheads, caused by pores which are totally blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the top; blackheads, caused by 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 lumps with no head and pustules, which are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not usually last long; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people call spots. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a much larger and more painful sort of pustule and can often last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps under the skin's surface. They frequently cause scarring and should never be squeezed, which could cause them to last for months longer still.
A 'cyst' can look similar to a nodule, but it is pus-filled, 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 deeper infection and more painful inflammation which will last very much longer than if it had been left alone. Skin experts have ways of lessening swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is not true that acne sufferers are not meticulous about cleanliness.
In fact, over washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many false 'cures' on the market and many, many old wives' tales. However, any honest skin expert would advise you that there is no sure-fire remedy for acne and that the patient should follow a deliberate regimen of cleaning until the acne just 'goes away' on its own.
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