ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACNE

 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACNE

A-Z on Acne!

Pimple/Zit is also called ACNE and it's a skin condition that occurs when hair follicles plug with oil and dead skin cells.

    Acne is most common in teenagers and young adults. It also occurs for various reasons in older people.

It is Very common skin condition and 

More than 1.5 million cases per year (in Nigeria)

Generally, Acne is related to oily skin though can be found in other skin types. In other skin types, the pimple formation itself still has alot to do with sebum within the skin. 

For the purpose of this article, let's look at oily skin which is the major skin type more prone to acne.

Oily skin occurs when the sebaceous glands in the skin make too much sebum.

At this point, understand that Sebum is vital for keeping the skin healthy. However, too much sebum can lead to oily skin, clogged pores, and acne. 

Infact despite the issues of oily skin,it is the skin type which wrinkles less as compared to other skin types like dry skin. So the sebum in the skin is beneficial but can also go wrong for various reasons.

PHYSIOLOGY OF ACNE

    Excess sebum clogs a pore and traps dead skin cells inside. Bacteria proliferate inside the pore to feed on the trapped skin cells. White blood cells migrate to the pore to fight the bacterial infection, and the mix of dead skin, white blood cells, and bacteria form the pus core of the pimple.

Diagram 1-4 showing how acne is formed, how the sebum and dead skin form and what they makes the skin look like that you may never see outside, the bump you see in the skin as breakout!

TYPES OF ACNE

Bacterial Based

 They resemble a whitehead with a red ring around the bump. The bump is typically filled with white or yellow pus. Avoid picking or squeezing pustules. Picking can cause scars or dark spots to develop on the skin. Some of these scars for this kind of pimples can clear while some may be very difficult to clear.

Whiteheads

They are just that—small blemishes with whitish “heads” that appear at the surface of the skin. The “head” commonly indicates that there’s pus, which is white fluid that accumulates at the site of an infection, clogged within a pore.

Whiteheads are also defined as comedones and develop when hair follicles become clogged with sebum, or oil, and dead skin cells. Skin only needs a certain amount of sebum to protect itself. When the skin produces too much oil, it produces whiteheads. Whiteheads also cause pores to stay closed at the surface of the skin, which is another reason why you notice the whitish “head” at the top of the pore.

Blackheads

These are blemishes that look like small black dots. Though just like whiteheads, blackheads are also considered to be comedones, or hair follicles that’re clogged with oil or dead skin. However, unlike whiteheads that remain closed, black heads are open at the surface of the skin—despite the pore being clogged.

Many people think blackheads are colored black because of dirt build-up. But blackheads aren’t black because of dirt. The black hue associated with this type of acne comes from the pore’s exposure to oxygen. The exposure to oxygen is what causes these blemishes to oxidize and turn black.

Papules 

They are blemishes that represent the next phase beyond whiteheads. They are quite inflamed and infected. They’re typically very sensitive to the touch and are hard, clogged pores that leave the skin with a pink or red appearance.

Papules occur when there’s bacteria, oil, or dead skin cells under the surface of the skin. These elements cause the walls that surround the pore to break down and become inflamed. Whatsoever left on the surface of the skin is typically diagnosed as moderate to severe acne.

Hormonal acne

This is when breakouts form in adulthood that could range from blackheads and whiteheads to painful cysts. Hormonal acne is linked to the overproduction of sebum (an oily substance in skin glands) in response to some certain hormones misbehavior which clogs pores, leading to pimples we sometimes see in older people.

Pustules are blemishes that are a phase beyond whiteheads, much like papules. But unlike papules, pustules contain yellow or white pus that can be seen on the surface of the skin which is why they’re commonly mistaken for whiteheads.

The major difference between pustules and whiteheads is the red ring. Most pustules will have a red ring surrounding the white or yellow head on the surface of the skin. Pustules are also very painful and tender to the touch, unlike whiteheads which are less severe.

 In more extreme cases, patients may experience blemishes that we categorize as severe acne. Severe acne often last for months on end and has the tendency to spread rapidly.

Although there are many types of acne that fall into this category, the most common types include:

Nodules

Cysts

Acne conglobata

Nodules

Nodules are large, inflamed bumps that are firm to the touch. They develop deep within the skin and are typically very painful. Nodules develop when clogged, swollen, or infected pores endure further irritation and infection.

Cysts

Cysts are one of the largest forms of acne. They’re pus-filled lesions that look like boils. They usually stem from a severe infection and are more likely to scar. Treatment for cysts is difficult as they may need to be drained or removed surgically.

Acne conglobata

Acne conglobata is a highly inflammatory disease that involves several inflamed nodules that are connected under the skin to other nodules. Patients with acne conglobata develop symptoms between the ages of 18 and 30.

They appear most commonly on the neck, chest, back, arms, or buttocks. Acne conglobate is a skin condition that mostly impacts men, and has been oftentimes associated with the use of steroids or testosterone.

So now that we have the various types of acne,you now understand and have a bigger view of how acnes occur.

That is why we in the skincare industry insist that Acne treatment sometimes is multifaceted for some you need antibiotics with right skincare, some require extractions, some require lifestyle changes and more. 

But remember; Acne require a target type of skincare and patience not magic as many think.

There are also many misconceptions on acne

but that'll be on my next article and I'll also talk about it's treatment according to one's skin type.

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