Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Often it induces whiteheads, pimples or blackheads, and generally appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne is the most common among teens, even though it affects individuals of all ages.
Effective treatments are available, but acne may be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal gradually, and when one starts to go off, others appear to crop up.
Based on its severity, acne may cause psychological distress and scar skin. The sooner you begin treatment, the lower your risk of these issues.
Acne Symptoms
Acne signs and symptoms vary depending on the severity of your condition:
- Whiteheads (closed plugged pores)
- Blackheads (open plugged pores)
- Small red, tender bumps (papules)
- Pimples (pustules), which are papules with pus at their tips
- Large, solid, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin (nodules)
- Painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin (cystic lesions)
Causes
Four main factors cause acne:
- Excess oil production
- Hair follicles clogged with oil and dead skin cells
- Bacteria
- Excess activity of a type of hormone (androgens It typically appears on your face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders because these areas of skin have the most oil (sebaceous) glands. Hair follicles are connected to oil glands.
It is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It often causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples, and usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages.
The follicle wall can bulge and generate a whitehead. Or the plug might be amenable to the surface and darken, resulting in a blackhead. A blackhead may seem like dirt trapped in pores. But the pore is congested with oil and bacteria, that turns brown when it is exposed to the atmosphere.
Pimples are raised red spots with a white heart which grow when blocked hair follicles become swollen or infected with germs. Blockages and inflammation which grow deep within hair follicles create cystlike lumps underneath the surface of the skin.
Treatment
If you’ve tried over-the-counter (nonprescription) acne products for several weeks and they haven’t helped, your doctor can prescribe stronger medications. A dermatologist can help you:
- Control your acne
- Avoid scarring or other damage to your skin
- Make scars less noticeable
