The Ins And Outs Of Acne

At some point in our lives most of us have suffered from acne. Taking a variety of forms, acne typically appears on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. Because of the large number of functional oil glands, we are most likely to experience acne on these parts of the body.

Acne can manifest itself in a variety of ways and differ in its intensity. The least serious form of acne are noninflammatory lesions called whiteheads and black heads (comedones). These lesions form when openings of hair follicles become clogged with oil secretions, dead skin cells and occasionally bacteria. Comedones opened on the surface of the skin are called blackheads because of the dark appearance, while comedones that are closed, thus looking somewhat raised and lighter than the skin color, are called whiteheads.

More serious forms are acne, called inflammatory lesions, are papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. Papules, small bumps that are red and tender, usually occur after shaving because they signal inflamation or infection in the hair follicles on our skin. Men get this type of acne on their face while women experience it usually on their legs. Pustules, otherwise known as pimples, are red tender bumps filled with white colored pus at their tips. Nodules, created by the accumulation of secretions deep within hair follicles, are larger and more painful than pimples and are located beneath the skin's surface. The most serious form of acne are cysts, which are painful lumps filled with pus that are found beneath the skin. Sometimes cysts can only be removed by surgery and can sometimes leave permanent scarring.

The appropriate treatment of acne depends, of course, on its type and severity. The noninflammatory types sometimes constantly come and go, and most of the time, do not need to be examined by a doctor. The other forms of acne can be treated using either over the counter products or med-cine or a treatment plan prescribed by a dermatologist or doctor.

Sometimes acne can have adverse affects more on our self-esteem than on our face and bodies. Those wanting to control their acne, regardless of its severity, should consult a dermatologist. Almost all forms of acne are curable. All it takes is the right doctor and medicine.

Systemic treatments for acne are known for their various side effects including dryness of mouth and skin, liver damage, muscle pain, toxicity to the fetus and more. Before beginning treatment a negative pregnancy test should be obtained from any woman of reproductive ages to avoid congenital defects to the fetus.

Maria Gonzales, a health blogger interested in a wide range of diseases and conditions, including health 2.0, dermatologia, skin cancer, acne, and more.