Acne can develop at any age especially during the teenage years. They also are more likely to occur during times of hormone level increases, such as pregnancy and menstruation too.

Overactive sebaceous glands cause hair follicles (or “pores”) on the skin to become clogged with excess sebum and dead skin cells; this triggers the bacteria to start to grow, resulting in skin irritation and inflammation. Red bumps and pus-filled red bumps known as pimples appear. Further bacteria proliferation will eventually lead to the development of chronic acne.

What are the different types of acne?

Acne comes in varying severity:

• Mild Acne – This causes the whiteheads or blackheads that most of us get at some point. The tiny hair follicles in your skin become blocked with oil and dead skin. A “whitehead” or “blackhead” forms near the surface of the skin.
• Moderate Acne– They are red, inflamed pimples (called papules) and red pimples with white centers (called pustules) around the skin surface.
• Cystic Acne – Painful, pus-filled cysts or lumps (called nodules) that are formed deep in the skin around the hair follicle.

Often, superficial acne will heal quickly but in some situations. But comedones and pimples can also progress to nodules and cyst formation, and eventually lead to acne scarring when not treated properly and early. The best approach is to get treatment for acne as soon as it starts to appear so as to prevent further severe acne and more scarring.

Acne Scars

Acne scars are most often the product of an inflamed lesion, such as a papule, pustule, or cyst. Inflamed blemishes occur when the follicle, or pore, becomes engorged with excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. The pore swells, causing a break in the follicle wall. If the rupture occurs near the skin’s surface, the lesion is usually minor and heals quickly. More serious lesions arise when there is a deep break in the follicle wall. The infected material spills out into the dermis and destroys healthy skin tissue.

To repair the damage done to the dermis, the skin forms new collagen fibers. Collagen is the fibrous protein that gives the skin its strength and flexibility. Unfortunately, the finished “repair job” never looks as smooth and flawless as before the injury.

Depending on the acne and scar conditions, a treatment or combination treatments may be recommended to remove acnes and scars.