Opinion

Types of Acne and How to Treat Them

As common as it is, acne can be very frustrating, mostly because we sometimes simply misunderstand what is going on on our faces. We tend to go full-on Dr. Pimple Popper with every breakout we have, or we just choose inadequate treatment options for the type of acne we are dealing with.  Should we treat a small bump with a white top the same way as a painful red one rising up from under our skin? Let’s see!

Acne can be either inflammatory or non-inflammatory 

Non-inflammatory acne doesn’t provoke swelling or redness, and there are two types well known to everyone – whiteheads and blackheads.

Both whiteheads and blackheads appear on the skin when sebum and dead skin cells clog up our pores. In the case of whiteheads, the top part of the pore is closed, and in the case of blackheads it is open. Blackheads are dark in colour because the dead skin cells and excess oil they are clogged with darken due to oxidation, not because they are full of dirt per se.

Prevention strategies for non-inflammatory acne should include using clean pillow cases and phone screens, choosing skincare and makeup branded as non-comedogenic (non pore clogging) and avoiding over-cleansing, as this can provoke overproduction of sebum.

Don’t worry if you already have blackheads or whiteheads, as they are fairly easily treated with salicylic acid, lactic acid or glycolic acid. Look for these when shopping for your skincare and you will sport a smooth face very soon.

If the pimple appears swollen and/or red, then we are dealing with an inflammatory type of acne.

These types of lesions are divided into four sub-types:

  • 1. Papules – fairly small, tender to the touch, red or pink bumps that  have no visible center

  • 2. Pustules – red bumps coming out from the skin with a white or yellow center filled with pus

  • 3. Nodules – large red bumps that form deep within the skin. They tend to be firm and painful to the touch

  • 4. Cysts – the most severe and the largest form of acne They form even deeper within the skin than nodules do and appear in the form of red or white bumps that are usually painful and also tend to leave scars.

Although many holistic therapists link skin health with the health of our gut and suggest that a daily dose of probiotics, products with turmeric and tea-tree essential oil and exclusion of dairy may help even with cystic acne, in severe cases (nodules and cysts) inflammatory acne will require a visit to a dermatologist. Moderate lesions (papules and pustules) usually require topical retinoids or azelaic acid as treatments. Patience is key when treating inflammatory acne, as our skin changes and healing takes time and acne won’t just disappear overnight.

The Bottom Line

A pimple here and there is perfectly normal and not a big deal, as long as we are able to treat it effectively, and as long as we are able to avoid scarring after the pimple is gone. Try not to pop your pimples and don’t use a ton of anti-acne products at once as this may over-dry your skin, make it really sensitive and increase your sebum production.

Get to know your enemy first by determining what acne type you are suffering from. Only then, choose the appropriate treatment and stick with it for quite a while. Clearing up acne might take a fairly long time, but if you choose the correct treatment, your skin will recover.

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