Different Types Of Acne

One of the ways to combat acne is to gain every bit of knowledge about it, and this article is going to offer you all about the types of acne available ranging from the least worrying to the one that requires your immediate attention.

Let's begin with the acne that needs the least attention.

Acne Vulgaris

Vulgaris means "common", not "repulsive". Thus the following states the acne mild enough for you to treat at home.

Whiteheads are also known as pimples, zits or spots. This is the classic image of acne, small round pus-and-oil filled globes sticking out on your forehead or anywhere else on the face. Your pores are clogged with bacteria from dead skin cells, dirt, oil, sweat, old makeup, and grease. You need not worry much about whiteheads, but you have to clean the affected area after it bursts.

Blackheads are what you get when your pores have only gotten partly clogged. Instead of a bright white pimple, you get a smaller, less noticeable blackhead. You can treat them with some products you can buy at the store but do not squeeze or pop them.

Baby acne only happens to newborn or young babies and is a common condition. It appears to be like a smaller version of adult whiteheads. One of the safest treatments you can treat baby acne, is ionic colloidal silver.

Medium Acne

Pustules, also more commonly known as "blind pimples" are one of the most aggravating types of acne. You can see and feel a pimple occurring on your skin. The skin becomes sore, raised to a 3 millimeter lump, and can be red or pale pink.

You may feel like popping them, but that might make things worse. You have to let them heal in their own time. If they pop, they are open for infection, so you have to apply antibacterial ointment on it.

Adult Acne

The most common belief is that only teenagers have acne but the thing is, acne can happen when you have reached full adulthood and it is normally brought about by stress and hormones at any age. It is mostly because stress hormones could cause existing comedones and impactions to break down, and then be inflamed which in turn develop to red nodules and postules.

Body Acne

Most people have outbreaks of acne on the face and are not aware of what body acne is and how it is different from the regular types of acne. Acne is considered as being body acne if it occurs on the back, chest, shoulders, and even the buttocks. The following are some details of body acne.

Back Acne

Back acne is no different from zits on the face, only they sometimes appear to be more cystic and vulgar.

Genital Acne

Genital acne is the same kind of acne you get on any other part of your body, only it grows on your genitals. This can be either annoying for some people or downright painful for others. They appear to be like whiteheads or blackheads on your genitals.

Severe Acne

These forms of acne need a doctor or dermatologist for proper treatment and care.

There are mainly four different types of severe acne, which are: acne conglobata, acne fulminans, gram negative folliculitis, and nodulocystic acne.

The first, acne conglobata, is a very rare, chronic and the most severe type of acne and it is characterized by the following conditions: deep abscesses, inflammation, severe damage to the skin, scarring and blackheads. It usually feels like you have boils all over you. It normally only hits males between the ages18-30 years old.

Acne fulminans is different from acne conglobata in that it is a sudden onset highly destructive inflammation. It is characterized by symptoms of severe and often ulcerating acne, fever, inflammation and aching of joints, especially in and around the hips and knees.

Corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are the most regular form of treatment for acne fulminans. However the outbreaks are apt to reoccur and the patient may in fact end up developing acne that needs long-term treatment with isotretinoin.

Nodulocystic acne or Cystic Acne is also one of the most severe forms of acne, and it is usually characterized by cysts. These cysts may appear singly, or they may be spread out all over the face, neck, scalp, back, chest and shoulders.

Treatment for this type of acne typically involves an insistent form of treatment, which may consist of isotretinoin and antibiotics. This form of acne is also characterized by large pus filled sores on the face or other parts of the body. These sores are usually painful and, if not treated, can lead to scarring and a pitting of the skin.

If you suffer from some of the larger cysts, ones that do not respond to medications, you may require drainage and surgical excision by a medical professional.

Gram-negative folliculitis is the type of acne which is caused by a bacterial infection that can result from long-term antibiotic treatment. In gram-negative folliculitis, the bacteria are likely to be resistant to many different types of antibiotics. Anyone with this severe type of acne should ensure that they have the proper care of a dermatologist.

The ultimate aim of this article is make you realize that whatever acne you may be suffering from has a name thus a solution to it. If you are suffering from severe acne, it is best to see a doctor or dermatologist where you will be treated properly for your acne.