ACNE 101
DIFFERENT TYPES, CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS
By Danielle Hadley
As a skin condition, acne isn’t picky. In fact, it’s now thought that around 50% of adults will
experience some type of acne during their lifetime but, despite its prevalence, acne is incred-
ibly complex and difficult to decipher without a guide. So let’s break your breakouts down…
Shapes, Sizes, and Severities
To effectively treat a pimple, you need to work
out what kind of pimple you have. Blemishes
can vary in size, colour and shape, but these
are the most common and the most notable
types to be aware of.
Blackheads and whiteheads are the most well-
known non-inflammatory blemishes and
involve the build-up of sebum and dead cells
within the pores. If the pore is open, the sebum
inside oxidises as it comes into contact with
the air, causing it to harden and turn black
(hence its moniker). If the pore is closed, this
build-up of sebum and debris quickly develops
into a plug or small bump which shows up
white on the surface. This type of zit is a white-
head and is the kind of spot you probably gave
a sneaky squeeze as a teenager after your mother
told you not to.
At the other end of the scale you have the
inflammatory types of acne; namely papules,
pustules, nodules, and cysts. Yep, they’re as grim
as they sound. Papules are the type of pimples
that look red and raised but are relatively small
in size, while pustules are, you guessed it,
swollen spots that contain pus – kind of like a
larger, more intense whitehead.
In extreme cases, breakouts can become very
problematic and painful. Cystic acne is very
difficult to treat and involves a number of large,
beneath-the-surface bumps developing which
never come to a head but make their presence
felt for many months. Nodules are similar to
cysts, as they present as hard or swollen bumps
that never really reach the surface. However,
this type of acne is rooted much deeper than
the others and can lead to tissue damage if left
untreated for too long.
Find the Cause
Over the years, everything from chocolate to
cheese has been blamed for the continuing rise
in the number of acne sufferers, but most skin
care experts will agree that it’s less about your
diet and more about your DNA. The root cause
of all pimples is sebum becoming trapped
within the pores, but the reason why this build
up happens can vary. It’s usually down to one
of three things: your hormones, your parents,
or the wrong skin care.
For women, an increase in testosterone during
their period can send sebum production into
ISSUE #05 | 2017 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 14