Acne: What Is It & How To Treat?

Many people have suffered from acne, pimples, and blackheads at some point in their lives. Most of the time, this health problem affects people’s faces, directly affecting their self-esteem. The good news is that just as this disease is considered typical, it can be easily treated, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today.

If you suffer from acne and are looking for a permanent solution, you will be happy to know that we can help you. To learn more, continue reading the article.

What Is Acne Anyway?

Acne is a skin disease that occurs due to hormonal changes. It is widespread in adolescence and during pregnancy, stressful situations, or due to a diet rich in bad fats, for example.

All these situations can obstruct the so-called skin follicles, thus favoring the proliferation of blackheads and pimples.

Different Types

Although many don’t know, there are different types of acne. The main ones are:

  • Neonatal acne;
  • childhood acne;
  • Acne vulgaris;
  • Acne conglobata;
  • Fulminant acne.

Let’s talk a little about the difference between each of these types:

Neonatal Acne

As the name already suggests, this type mainly affects newborns. It is one of the rarest types and affects up to 20% of babies who develop mild acne.

Lesions on babies’ skin usually disappear quickly without leaving any marks.

Childhood Acne

This acne affects babies between 3 and 16 months old, evolving into carnations and pimples.

This disease variant usually disappears when the child reaches two years of age. There are traditionally no remnants or scars.

Acne Vulgaris

This is the most common type of acne and frequently appears in teenagers and young adults, especially during the troubled period of puberty when the hormones of boys and girls are at their peak.

Acne Conglobata

This is a rare and severe type of disease that preferentially affects young men.

In this case, large pimples develop on different body regions such as the face, chest, arms, thighs, and back. When left untreated, this variation of the disease can leave scars.

acne fulminans

And finally, we have acne fulminans, the severe form of acne conglobata, occurring more frequently in adolescent boys.

This type brings many pimples that develop quickly on the back and chest.

These pimples often leave severe scarring; in rare cases, patients may suffer from muscle and bone pain and even fever.

Difference Between Acne And Pimple

A lot of people wonder about the difference between acne and pimple. The two terminologies represent the same disease.

However, acne is the scientific name, while pimple is the popular name for this skin health condition.

Therefore, using both terminologies to refer to the same health problem is correct.

Understanding The Causes

Acne is a multifactorial condition, meaning several reasons can cause it.

Among the leading causes are hormonal changes. Therefore, adolescents and women are the groups most affected by this problem.

In addition, genetic predisposition, high-stress levels, self-medication, and the use of cosmetics with oily formulations and textures can contribute to its appearance.

Another point related to the emergence of acne is habits. The custom of washing your face many times a day and consuming greasy foods can favor the emergence of pimples.

It is also important to mention that stress and emotional suffering influence the onset and worsening of this disease since high levels of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, end up deregulating many other hormones.

In our skin, there are sebaceous glands whose primary function is the production of sebum, a type of fat that protects the skin.

However, when there is excessive production of sebum, the pores are clogged and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

To contain this bacterial growth in a self-defense action, the organism produces pus, and thus, pimples are formed.

Avoid Squeezing Pimples

Something significant to say about pimples is that you shouldn’t squeeze them.

Many people believe that by squeezing the pimples, they will disappear, but this is contraindicated because the hands and nails have a high amount of bacteria.

Thus, when squeezing the pimples, the infection or inflammation may get worse, and there may even be an increase in swelling and pain.

Furthermore, squeezing pimples is one of the main reasons for the appearance of spots and scars on the skin.

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