Acne Types

Non-Inflamed Acne

These lesions are known as comedones, which can be soft, hard, open or even invisible to the naked eye if they're below the skin. Soft comedones appear as bumpiness on the skin and occur when oil is trapped in a pore and covered over. Hard comedones are harder with visible whiteheads. Blackheads are open comedones in which the oil trapped in the pore isn't covered but has darkened from exposure to the air. Microcomedones are underneath the skin and not visible and are the start of each blemish.

Inflamed Acne

If left untreated, non-inflamed acne can develop into inflamed acne. Non-inflamed acne can also become inflamed as a result of picking and scratching. Inflamed acne can also become worse if you pick, scratch, or rub your pimples.

• Papules are red, inflamed spots on the skin without pus or whiteheads.
• Pustules are what most of us think of when we think of pimples. A red, inflamed spot that contains a white head. Most papules progress into pimples.
• Nodules are painful and large acne lesions that begin much deeper in the skin than papules or pustules and have the highest risk of infection and scarring.
• Cysts, the fluid-filled lumps under the skin, are the most severe and painful form of acne.

Severity

Acne can also be classified in terms of its severity. Mild to moderate acne includes whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and pustules. Whiteheads occur due to a blockage of oil and bacteria in the pores. Blackheads are black in color occur when a pore is blocked in part by oil and dead skin cells. Both blackheads and whiteheads can take a substantial amount of time to heal. Papules and pustules are both inflamed bumps and carry a risk of scarring. While papules do not have pus at the tip, pustules do and appear yellow or white in color.

Severe acne includes nodules and cysts. These lesions are large, painful, and may not disappear for months. With these kinds of acne, chances of scarring and permanent damage are high. Unlike nodules, cysts tend to contain visible yellow or white pus.

Extremely severe forms of acne are most common among males and tend to affect multiple parts of the body.

• Acne conglobata causes extreme inflammation and large lesions that may or may not be connected. The condition can cause abscesses and open wounds that are deep, resulting in permanent scars on the skin. The blackheads that are related to acne conglobata are located all over the body and can be extremely visible. People will experience these blackheads on the face, neck, buttocks, arms, or trunk. Acne conglobata can affect one or multiple parts of the body.
• Acne fulminans produces similar symptoms to acne conglobata in addition to body pain and a fever. This type of acne occurs suddenly and drastically among people who are already suffering from inflamed acne. Acne fulminans can cause extremely painful ulcerating acne. The joints can also become affected - people might experience swelling at the hips and knees. Some people with acne fulminans experience recurring attacks. The people who experience chronic acne fulminans will require long-term treatment. In general, corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat the condition.
• Nodulocystic acne describes acne lesions that grow to become several centimeters in diameter. In general, cysts are a common type of acne. Contrary to typical cystic acne, nodulocystic acne is more severe and painful. The cysts might be filled with pus or a pus-like fluid if infected. When cysts form in close proximity to one another, they may produce sensitive areas that are lined with tunnel-like connections under the skin. Nodulocystic acne requires aggressive treatment involving antibiotics and corticosteroids.
• Gram-negative follicultis occurs when the follicles become inflamed. This type of acne is actually a bacterial infection that occurs as a result of antibiotics. The condition can be difficult to treat because the bacteria are resistant to most types of antibiotics. A dermatologist will need to work with you to explore effective treatment options.
• Pyoderma faciale is a rare condition that causes severely inflamed nodules and cysts on the face. The condition tends to affect women between the ages of 20 and 30.