6 Types of Acne You Should Know and How to Prevent Yourself from Getting Them!

Acne is a very common skin condition that occurs mainly on the face, forehead, chest, shoulders or even upper back. It is something that almost everyone experiences at one point or the other. There are many different types of acne and each of them has its own set of symptoms associated with them. 

Here are 6 different types of acne you should know and how to treat them.

What is Acne?

To know the six different types of acne, we first need to understand how acne occurs. 

Our skin is constantly shedding dead skin cells, and it’s a natural way to let the skin breathe and rejuvenate. Some dead cells get out from our bodies through tiny holes on our skin called pores.

Pores are connected to a hair follicle. Attached to the follicle is the oil gland called a sebaceous gland. This oil gland produces a greasy substance called sebum, a natural body moisturiser that keeps our skin moisturised.

Acne begins to appear when the process of shedding all those skin cells slows down. The dead skin cells accumulate on the skin and start blocking pores. This causes the sebum to clog up the pore. Slowly, bacteria gets in to feast on this buffet of dead skin cells and sebum, thus causing inflammation and acne.

This skin condition typically starts at puberty as our hormones start stimulating the sebaceous gland to produce sebum, and resolves itself slowly as we age. However, due to a variety of factors, some people continue to have acne all through adulthood and even into their 40s and 50s.

What Causes Acne?

Since clogged pores cause acne, there are a few other factors that can contribute to acne or make it worse, such as: 

• Genetics: If your parents or siblings have acne problems or oily skin, you are likely to have it as well.
• Hormones: Acne affects more than 85% of teenagers, but you can also get it during pregnancy, menopause, or hormone changes during your time of the month.
• Medication: Medications that treat anxiety or mood changes that can activate the sebaceous gland or cause inflammation in the skin. Usually, this tends to be a short-term issue.
• Diet: A diet that’s really high in sugar, carbohydrates or dairy, can affect your gut health, which may directly link with worsening acne problems.

Besides these four reasons, coffee can also cause acne, and there are a few pieces of research regarding the relation with peanuts.

What are the Different Types of Acne?

There are 6 different types of acne, and they fall within one of two categories: inflammatory and noninflammatory acne.

Noninflammatory acne

The first acne category is called noninflammatory acne or comedones, and these include blackheads and whiteheads. These typically don’t cause swelling, redness or pain. This type of acne usually sits on top of the skin, and it’s easier to treat them with over-the-counter (OTC) treatments than inflammatory acne.

1. Whiteheads
   Whiteheads are also known as closed comedones. They form when a pore gets clogged by sebum and dead skin cells. You can see whiteheads very quickly as they have a white, circular centre surrounded by a red halo. Whiteheads can be a bit of a challenge to get rid of because it’s closed within the pore.

2. Blackheads
   Blackheads are also known as open comedones. These small, dark-coloured spots are visible on the skin’s surface and slightly raised bumps. A common myth is that blackheads are dark because they trap dirt. This is false. Blackheads are actually caused by whiteheads that have oxidised due to exposure to air, so they darken.

One of the ingredients often suggested for acne problems is Salicylic acid which is usually best for noninflammatory acne. It can help exfoliate the skin naturally, removing dead skin cells, including blackheads and whiteheads. You can look for some types of OTC products are cleansers, toners, and moisturisers. 

Inflammatory acne

The second category of acne is inflammatory acne. This category of acne is typically what most people think of when they think of the word “pimples”. Inflammatory acne often can appear red and can become swollen. These types of acne can be painful and hard to get rid of and they appear as papules, pustules, nodules or cysts. 

1. Papules
   Papules are types of acne that are sensitive to the touch. It’s tender when to touch, and you will notice red or pink or bumps forming around the skin. Picking the acne can make the inflammation worse and lead to scarring. In severe cases, papules can cluster together and appear very red and painful.

2. Pustules
   Another inflamed acne that you should know, pustules, looks like acne with a white or yellow head and is filled with pus. Avoid picking up pustules as it can cause scars or dark spots visible on the skin.

3. Nodules
   Nodules are located deeper underneath the skin, where it needs prescription medication to treat them. It’s a solid, hard lesion that can be over 5mm in diameter (large) and not filled with pus. Most of the time, doctors or dermatologists are likely to prescribe oral medication, isotretinoin, to treat nodules by decreasing oil gland size within the pores.

4. Cysts
   This type of inflamed acne is a large painful, swollen, red and white bump that doesn’t have a head. Cysts develop when your skin is clogged by a combination of bacteria, sebum and dead skin cells. It takes place way deeper into the skin than nodules, and it can lead to scarring if it is picked at.

A common ingredient that is used to address inflammatory acne is benzoyl-peroxide. Topical retinoids also play a part in fighting inflammatory acne-like papules and pustules. But, the most important is to stay away from picking your acne with your hand because it can lead to scarring and pitting.

4 Skin Conditions That Look Like Acne

If you’re confused about whether it’s one of the types of acne we mentioned on your skin, here are four skin conditions that are commonly mistaken for acne:

• Rosacea: This common condition gives the skin a flushed, red appearance. Acne may cause red pimples but won’t give you a redness across the cheeks and nose. 
• Folliculitis: It may look like you have a breakout, but they are actually caused by shaving. Friction can irritate and inflame your hair follicles, and it can also cause a bacterial infection. 
• Milia: Although milia are patches of white bumps on your face, it’s not acne, painful or itchy. But, if you decide to pick at the skin around the milia, it can lead to scarring or infection.
• Ingrown hairs: It can be a bit difficult to tell the difference because ingrown hairs can look like you developed pustules. There is a bump usually spotted on your shaving or wax spots.

In general, acne can be treated by skincare products. However, for severe cases, especially of inflammatory acne, you should see a dermatologist to accurately diagnose and solve the problems. Severe cases may require powerful drugs that can only be prescribed by a medical professional.

How to Prevent Yourself From Getting Acne

Anyone with acne knows how much of a mental and physical struggle it is to deal with. Here are some of the most effective ways to prevent yourself from getting acne in the first place.

Know your skin type

Getting to know your skin type is like getting to know your partner. It’s so helpful for you to decide to continue with the commitment or not. Using the wrong type of product on the wrong type of skin can cause acne. Knowing your skin type lets you know which products you can use or avoid.

Here is the description for each skin type:

• Combination: Shiny or oily on your T-zone area (forehead, nose, and chin). But dry or flaky on the outer cheeks area.
• Oily: Slick and shiny all over your face.
• Dry: Skin feels rough and tight. Skin can also be flakey, and you can feel skin flaking off when you rub a dry finger over your face.
• Normal: If you don’t experience any of the above, congratulate yourself on winning the genetic lottery! Normal skin is well-balanced and the easiest to maintain.

Related: Here’s how to determine your skin type in just four steps. Alternately, you can try the myeppo skin quiz.

Wash your face properly

The cleanser is the first step in a skincare routine when you wash your face. It is used to get rid of dirt, impurities and makeup that has built up over the day before moving on to the next step. When you have a clean base, it will help your skin absorb all the goodies from the moisturiser and other skincare products—time to learn how to wash your face correctly here.

Use an acne skincare routine

If acne is your main skin concern, you should build an acne skincare routine. The basic skincare routine in the morning is cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. At night, it’s just a cleanser and moisturiser. But, if your skin is ready for more, a serum is an excellent additional product to start with. Look out for acne serums that contain some salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin A or glycolic acid. Don’t overuse skincare products because it may lead to more breakouts.

Related: If you have acne scars, we compiled three The Ordinary products to help with your problem.

Don’t skip the moisturiser

Since all acne treatments can cause dry skin, you need that moisturiser more than ever. If you skip that, your will lack natural moisture, causing your pores to create more sebum, leading to more acne issues. So, grab a moisturiser that suits your skin and learn how to apply facial moisturiser correctly.

You are not Dr Pimple Popper

I know it’s tempting to squeeze that pimple. But it comes with a huge risk. If not done correctly or professionally, it can lead to scarring, dark spots or even infection. It may also increase the chances of making your acne problem worse. 

Consider using acne patches instead. Acne patches cover the spot and helps prevent the urge to pick and pop the pimple, while at the same time protecting it from getting further irritated by outside interference and bacteria.

Conclusion

Now you know the basics about acne, such as the difference between acne and pimples, then you can get a thorough understanding of the causes of acne, types of acne and how to treat them.

If you want to cut through the noise and get a quick solution for your acne, try the myeppo skin quiz. The skin quiz uses a proprietary algorithm that considers your skin type and lifestyle to provide a recommendation for products that can best treat or prevent your acne problems. Give it a try here.