Types of Acne

Acne is categorized into two groups; 1) the mild form that is treated externally and 2) the severe form that must be addressed by a dermatologist. The more severe form often requires oral acne treatments, usually some form of antibiotics.

If acne cases are based on severity, they are generally categorized into the following: papule, comedo, nodule, pustule, and cyst types.

The simplest and most common form of acne is a red lesion or swelling found on the surface of the skin due to bacteria called a comedo. Propionic bacterium or P. acnes is a bacteria that generally lives on the skin. This may cause the acne occurrence through it’s production of certain chemicals and enzymes which decompose the tissue wall in order to penetrate the hair canal.

This organic action results in swelling, pain and redness that cause the comedones to form. If the comedo is open, the surface of the skin tissue is black, primarily due to oil deposits and is known as a “blackhead”. If the comedo is closed, the skin has raised bumps called “whiteheads”.

On the other hand, papules are very small and may give a rough skin appearance, like that of sand paper.

When the lesion is filled with pus, the term is changed to “pustules”. If the pustules become inflamed, the lesions are filled with a semi-liquid and liquid material composed of dead cells, bacteria, and white blood cells. These skin eruptions are called “cysts”. These cysts can become painful and may penetrate the deeper layers of skin tissue. As a result, they often leave scars.

Acne has different names according to different skin conditions. Acne Vulgaris is the most common type and often appears with whiteheads and blackheads. If acne manifests during adulthood, it is commonly referred to as Acne Rosacea.

Acne rosacea is a different form of acne which does not have result in pustules. It usually gives a rougher texture and appearance to the skin surface. This leads to bumpy nods on the forehead, cheeks and chin. It is difficult to get rid of Acne rosacea - there are no acne cures available at this time for this skin condition. In more severe cases, it may leave large bumps, or nodules, and broken blood vessels on the surface of the nose, which is called Rhynophyma.

Acne Cystica is the most severe form of this skin disorder. Deep inflammation causes the pus nodes to fill, and if the pus nodes burst, this will infect the skin tissue rather than just the skin surface alone. Severe inflammation and deep infection may lead to cyst formations that may lead to permanent acne scarring.

Another form of is Acne Fulminance. This type of acne is rare, characterized by systematic weight loss, fever and other critical conditions. Generally, acne fulminance manifests in boys.

Aside from the acne forms discussed above, other types exist but are less common, Some of these are; Acne Infantilis (Baby Acne), Acne Connglobata and Acne Pustulosa.