Acne is very common skin disease to people. Of course, getting rid of it is a major challenge. But before anything else, it is important to know what acne is and what type of acne you have so you’ll know which treatment is effective for your condition.

What is acne?

Acne comes from the word “acme” meaning “the highest point”, and/or from the Greek word “acme” meaning “point” or “spot.” It is a skin disease that occurs due to the overproduction of oil by the sebaceous glands (also known as oil glands) of the skin. It is not life-threatening, but can leave the skin with scars.

The skin has pores (small holes) which connect to oil glands under the skin. The glands are connected to the pores through small canals called follicles. The oil that lubricates your hair and skin called Sebum is produced by these glands. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A small hair grows through the follicle and out of the skin. And when the follicles get blocked or infected with bacteria, acne develops.

People from different races and ages get acne. But most commonly, teenagers (at their adolescence stage) and young adults have acne outbreaks. Because a teen’s body begins to mature and develop, hormones stimulate the oil glands to make more Sebum, and the glands may become feverish. Too much Sebum makes the pores clogged which then cause acne. Although acne is normal for the teens and people in their 20s, acne is not restricted to this age. In fact, older adults, children and babies can also have acne.

Some of the women will notice an acne occurrence during their menstrual period. Also, women who have irregular periods and a lot of body or facial hair are at a high risk of acne. On the other hand, more severe cases of acne are likely to occur in men because they produce more of the male hormones called testosterone that stimulate the acne formation.

The parts of the skin that are most exposed to acne are those that contain the largest number of oil glands. The face, chest, shoulders, and upper back are the areas with the highest number of oil glands, thus they are prone to acne.

Acne has many types. And the following common types of acne are:

• Whiteheads – very small flesh or white colored bumps that remain under the surface of the skin.
• Blackheads – clearly visible dark formations on the skin sue to an accumulated mixture of oil and cells in a blocked skin pore. The dark formation is not actually from dirt.
• Papules – pink-colored small bumps that are visible on the skin.
• Pustules – noticeable bumps on the skin with red base and have pus at the top.
• Nobules – visible, large solid pimples that are painful and embedded deep in the skin.
• Cysts – closed sacs beneath the skin or even deeper that contain pus. They are actually painful and can cause scars.
• Milia – tiny white bumps across the nose and upper cheeks that are common in new born babies and on adult skin. They occur when normally undesirable skin cells get trapped in small pockets on the skin.

Click here to find out what's our Top 5 Recommended Acne Treatment