Acne is a common skin disease that results when pores get blocked and bacteria form inside them. It comes in a variety of familiar forms and affects nearly everyone at some stage, particularly in their teen years. The inflamed, red bumps that sometimes form can be painful, and even painless white pimples are unsightly.

In the surface of the skin are pores, tiny openings called a hair follicle. Deeper inside the pore, near the base of the follicle, there are sebaceous glands that produce sebum, a natural type of oil. That oil helps keep the skin flexible and protected. Hair continues to grow through the surface, while oil or sebum oozes out the side and is spread around the area. Skin cells grow and die and are sloughed off through washing, rubbing or spontaneously. But that process can be interrupted when the pores close and when bacteria form inside them. The result is acne.

The white pimples that sometimes form are usually a combination of dead skin cells, white blood cells and bacteria. The trapped pus often creates an inflamed, red area around it. The term ‘pus’ is an adaptation of ‘pustule’, a type of acne that results when the follicle wall bursts and the white blood cells rush into the area as part of a healing process.

When the tiny bumps or spots appear black they’re called blackheads, naturally enough. They’re a non-inflamed form of acne that come from the material having poked through the surface. Their dark color isn’t the result of contact with dirt on the skin. It’s a combination of dead skin cells and sebum that have oxidized. Oxygen in the air causes a chemical reaction that turns them black.

Often, however, the material doesn’t break the skin, but simply pushes it up, forming a small, white bump called whiteheads. One form are known as ‘milia’. Normally dead skin cells will get washed off or simply fall off the surface. But they can get trapped underneath the surface. This type of acne is common among infants, but can affect people at any age. All these variations go by a general medical term called ‘comedones’, and whether that formation is open or closed is part of the clinical difference between them.

As the acne develops it can variously form what are called papules, nodules or cysts. A papule forms when the walls holding the hair follicle burst near the surface. They’re small and don’t contain pus. A nodule is a hardened lump under the skin, resulting from a break at the base of the follicle. A cyst is a larger, reddened bump. They’re soft, but can be very painful.

Naturally, while it’s helpful to know what acne is, the most important thing is to be able to treat it. We turn to that next…

Only in very rare cases can acne represent a serious general health risk. But, its effects can still be severe. The unsightly blemishes, the appearance of having unhealthy skin will almost inevitably lead to mild depression or worse. One important method for keeping that outlook under control is to make reasonable efforts to combat the condition.

Not everyone can readily afford a professional dermatologist on an ongoing basis. But even one visit can provide tons of useful advice and a prescription for acne medication. That’s worth quite a lot. Even though there is a substantial amount of information available on the Internet today, it’s helpful to have someone experienced who can help interpret it.

The medicine itself is important, both to treat the disease and the psychological effects. As the patient lessens the number of lesions, and lengthens the period between outbreaks, the skin will clear. At the same time, even when acne is still present, knowing that one is doing everything possible to combat the condition
promotes a better attitude.

Passivity in the face of acne creates a downward spiral. The person feels bad about having a skin disease. They look in the mirror and don’t want to face the day, which includes other people who will see them. But passively accepting the situation only worsens it. It reinforces the mistaken belief that nothing can be done. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If nothing is done, the condition doesn’t go away or at least lingers much longer, and more severely than need be. That provides false evidence that there’s nothing that can be done to make it go away.

Taking action tends to create a positive spiral. Severe acne won’t normally disappear in a day, even with the best treatment. But fighting it leads to greater confidence as the condition actually improves.

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