-what is Acne?

Acne is a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Some of the characteristics of acne include black heads, pimples, cysts, infected abscesses, and risly scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and -women. To be more specific, acne starts during puberty and tends to get -worse for people -with oily skin. Acne badly affects teenage boys. only mild to moderate forms of acne occur in middleaged -women. Acne can be seen most commonly on the face. The other places -where it can occur include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Most forms of acne is the result of heredity and hormonal problems and has nothing to do -with a harmful diet or poor hygiene.

Types of acne

Acne starts in a similar -way for all but can take different forms and can react in a unique -way according to the body conditions of the individual. A basic lesion called the comedo is the begining of acne. The comedo is an enlarged hair follicle plugged -with oil and bacteria residing under the surface of your skin, that -waits for the right conditions to gro-w into an inflamed lesion. -whenever the skin produces more oil, the bacteria gro-ws -within the s-wollen follicle. The surrounding skin becomes increasingly inflamed as your -white blood cells fight against the intruders. T-wo main types of acne include noninflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

Noninflammatory acne

Closed comedo:

If the plugged follicle stays belo-w the surface of the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. This usually appears on the skin as small, -whitish bumps. This condition is other-wise called as -whitehead.

open comedo :

If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an open comedo. The dark appearance of the plug is not due to dirt, but due to the buildup of melanin, the pigmentation element of the skin. This condition is other-wise called as blackhead.

Inflammatory acne

Papule:

This appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump. The papules is tender in nature and is often considered an intermediary step bet-ween noninflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions.

Pustule:

These is small round lesions that is inflamed and contain visible pus, -which appear red at the base -with a yello-wish or -whitish center. Pustules do not contain a large amount of bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation from sebum components such as fatty free acids.

Cyst:

These is large pusfilled lesions that is usually present deep -within the skin. The cysts is very painful lesions, as they is inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of a comedo spilling over the surrounding skin and due to the response of the local immune system in producing pus. The cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata:

This is a ris but serious form of inflammatory acne that develops primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. In addition, to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be severe bacterial infection.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of acne include persistent, recurrent red spots or s-wellings on the skin kno-wn as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and get filled -with pus. The pimples usually occur on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back. Some of the other symptoms include dark spots -with open pores at the center, -which is kno-wn as blackheads, bulged spots under the skin -without openings, -which is kno-wn as -whiteheads, and red s-wellings or lumps filled -with pus, -which is kno-wn as pustules. The pustules can develop from blackheads or -whiteheads. Inflamed fluidfilled lumps under the skin kno-wn as cysts is also a symptom of acne. These cysts can become as large as an inch across.

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