Acne is the term given to the skin condition characterised by the appearance of whiteheads, blackheads and other types of spots. Active acne can affect the face, chest and back and can have serious implications for an individual’s confidence as well as being painful and uncomfortable.
As with any medical condition, people can suffer from acne of varying severity. Most people will develop acne during their teenage years, with the spots typically disappearing in adulthood, although more people are now developing acne later in life.
The type of spots can also vary, with mild acne sufferers typically having to deal with whiteheads and blackheads. At the other end of the scale, those suffering from severe acne are faced with papules and pustules.
So, what are you dealing with?
Blackheads are commonly thought to be dirt trapped in the pore. This is incorrect; a blackhead forms when sebum and dead skin cells partially block a pore. The melanin present in the skin cells changes colour and turns black when it comes into contact with the air.
Whiteheads are those spots that form a white, pus-filled ‘head’. These pores are completely blocked and as the bacteria proliferate they combine with the sebum to produce the white substance visible under the skin. Ctd…
