Acne

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition where the sebaceous glands are overactive.
These glands produce sebum to hydrate and protect the skin, but if they are overproduced, they can become blocked.
This can cause acne in the form of scaly red skin, pimples, blackheads and comedones.
Acne is not just a problem for teenagers; it can often occur well into adulthood.
It usually occurs on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders because these areas of the skin have the most sebaceous glands.

Hair follicles are connected to the sebaceous glands.
Acne is caused when clogged hair follicles become inflamed or infected with bacteria.
Blockages and inflammation that develop deep within the hair follicles cause cystic bumps below the surface of the skin.

There are several types of acne, which can be manifested by inflammation, comedones, milia, pimples, pustules, nodules or cysts.
Superficial lesions are usually smaller and heal quickly.
In moderate or severe cases, infected tallow causes inflammation in the surrounding tissue. To prevent scarring, acne should be treated in its early stages. If left untreated, acne can lead to further inflammation and scarring.
Removing acne scars is more difficult than treating the acne itself.

Causes of acne

They are usually caused by overactive sebaceous glands and clogged pores.
There are four main factors that can clog pores and cause acne breakouts.

HORMONAL CHANGES:
Puberty in teenagers is one of the biggest causes of acne.
When hormonal imbalances occur, sebum production can increase, leading to oily, acne-prone skin.
Other hormonal imbalances that can lead to acne include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women and thyroid malfunction.

DEAD SKIN CELLS:
When too many dead skin cells travel to the pores on the surface of the skin, they can clump together and clog the pores, showing up as a pimple.

BACTERIAL INFECTION:
Severe acne occurs when pores become infected with bacteria.
Bacteria can cause inflammation and redness and lead to the formation of painful cysts under the skin.
Cysts are bumps that, like pimples, contain pus but do not form a head on the outer part of the skin.

SKIN TYPE:
If you have oily skin, excess sebum on the surface of your skin can clog your pores and cause acne.
If you have combination skin, you may be prone to acne on the oilier areas of your face.
Sensitive skin may be more susceptible to irritants and have more adverse reactions.

Types of acne

Blackheads: Blackheads are small black or white bumps on the skin caused by clogged and inflamed pores.
Blackheads are open comedones that appear when a pore is clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, oxidising on contact with air and turning a dark colour.
Whiteheads are closed comedones where the pore is blocked but not exposed to air, so they remain white.

Open comedones: Open comedones are a subspecies of black-backed comedones that have an opening at the top that can be seen.

Pustules: pustules are small bulges filled with pus.
They are often red in colour and have a white or yellow centre.
Pustules are often associated with acne and can cause inflammation and discomfort.

Papules: papules are small, hard, raised bumps on the skin, which may be red, pink or skin-coloured.
They are usually caused by inflammation and may cause itching or pain.

Cysts: Cysts are deep in the skin, filled with fluid, pus or other contents.
They are subcutaneous and usually cause pain and can be permanent if not treated properly.

Nodules: Nodules are large, hard, deep-lying bumps that can be painful to the touch.
They are often caused by deep inflammation in the skin and can be permanent if not treated properly.