Acne is a common problem in which the oil glands or hair follicles in the skin become blocked, resulting in blackheads, bumps, red spots, pimples and cysts. Acne-prone skin is often painful or uncomfortable, itchy, red, inflamed and sensitive. The severity of acne inflammation can range from very mild to severe. Acne pimples include inflammatory surface acne and cystic acne, which occur in the deeper layers of the skin - and can cause acne scarring, as well as other non-inflammatory acne, i.e. blackheads or scattered or rarely occurring small white bumps, closed comedones.
Let's see them a little closer:
A closed comedo is a sebaceous plug that blocks the opening of the sebaceous gland and the hair follicle. White comedones that protrude slightly from the surface of the skin are called closed comedones. A closed comedo does not suppurate, but it bulges more and more.
Open comedones (blackheads) are located in the wider pores of the skin. Their surface is open, so it is easy to remove the fat in them. The sebum in a comedo is a mixture of oil and dead skin cells, which can easily become discolored due to oxidation, which is why they are also called blackhead comedones.
Papules usually appear as small, raised bumps that are red in color and may be tender to the touch. These usually do not produce pus, unlike pustules.
Pustules are similar to papules, but have a white head in the center caused by the accumulation of pus. These can sometimes be confused with white bumps or closed comedones. However, they are usually larger and more inflamed.
Nodules are large, inflamed, hard-to-touch nodules that grow not on the surface of the skin, but in the deeper layers, and are very painful. They are red or skin-colored. Without treatment, they can remain in the skin for weeks or even months.
Cysts are the most serious inflammation caused by acne. Cysts are large pus-filled lumps that appear under the surface of the skin and often take a long time to form a head. This form of acne is the biggest risk factor for permanent scarring.
Various acne treatments are available to treat mild to moderate acne, which can help eliminate active inflammation and prevent future acne.
