For most people who suffer from acne, the mere mention of the word can cause anxiety. Acne is a chronic disease caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. It’s now known that inflammation is the major culprit in about 85% of chronic illnesses, including acne.

Thre are different types of acne that plague individuals at different stages of their lives. From the infant years well into the senior years.

So how does one know what type of acne they are experiencing? In this post, I address 6 types of acne that affect the skin

 

Whiteheads

Whiteheads are also known as comedones. Due to the fact that they are not inflammatory, they are not painful.  They reddish bumps caused by closed clogged pores. The center of the red bump has a white area, hence the name white head.

 

Blackheads

Like whiteheads, blackheads are known as comedones, are noninflammatory and not painful. They are caused by open clogged pores, and similarly to whiteheads, there is a black center, surrounded by a reddish area.

 

Papules

Papules are small, red bumps that form under the surface of the skin. They do not have a center like the whiteheads and blackheads. Because they are inflammatory, they can be slightly painful. They are usually caused when blackheads and whiteheads are irritated and become inflamed.

 

Pimples (Pustules)

These have a distinguishable center and are larger than the papules. The center usually holds yellow or white pus. They are basically papules with pus in the center.

 

Nodules

Nodules are usually hard and painful lumps that form beneath the surface of the skin. There is no center. They are just round and shiny. These are formed when clogged pores damage the surrounding tissue and cells beneath the skin’s surface.

 

Cystic Acne

This one right here threw me for a loop. I just thought the rest of my life would be smooth-skin sailing and screech, cystic acne rolled in at 40. This type of acne forms deep within the skin. They are large, pus-filled, tender, round, lumpy and painful. There is nothing to squeeze out on the surface. All the pus in the lower layer of the skin, which can be very frustrating.

They also leave dark marks and can cause scarring.