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Whay Type Of Acne Do You Have?

Acne - What Is Acne?

Acne is a skin disease caused by pores getting blocked and the growth of bacteria within them. Acne presents in several ways and virtually everybody will have it occasionally, especially as teenagers. The red lumps that frequently grow cause great discomfort. Even painless white pimples will spoil your appearance.

The skin contains pores and follicles from which hairs grow. Pores are the way that the oil (sebaceous) glands inside the pore and near the base of the follicle that produce sebum, a natural type of oil, spread their product. Sebum helps keep the skin elastic and protected.

Hair grows from the follicle, and sebum is forced around the base of the hair and is spread around the area. Skin cells die and are replaced all the time, the dead cells are shed by washing, friction of clothes or simply fall off. That process can be interrupted when the pores close encouraging the growth of bacteria, a common cause of acne outbreaks.

The white pimples that often form are normally a collection of dead cells, bacteria and the white blood cells trying to reduce the bacteria. The trapped pus, which creates the white coloring often causes inflammation. The word 'pus' is associated with 'pustule', a type of acne that results when the follicle wall bursts and the white blood cells rush into the area as part of a healing process.

When the tiny bumps or spots appear black they are referred to as blackheads. Blackheads are not usually inflamed and come from the material having poked through the surface. Their black color does not indicate a dirty skin, it's a combination of dead skin cells and sebum that have oxidized. Oxygen in the air causes the black color as the pus reacts to it.

Often, however, the pore or follicle content doesn't leave the pore or follicle but keeps growing, causing white lumps called whiteheads. One form is known as 'milia'. This type of acne is common among infants, but can affect people at any age.

The correct medical term for these spots is 'comedones' and being open or closed is part of the clinical difference between them.

As the acne develops it can variously form what are called papules, nodules or cysts. A papule forms when the walls holding the hair follicle burst near the surface. Papules are not very big and don't have any pus. A nodule is a hard lump under the skin resulting from a break at the base of the follicle. A cyst is often referred to as a boil. They're soft, but can be very painful.

Knowing what acne is, is useful, but you have to know what to do about it. In order to do that, it's necessary to know what type you have.

By: oldcoot

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Understanding acne is more important than treating it. More psycological damage is done through the ignorance of the emotional distress caused because the infection is not taken seriously. Even a very mild acne outbreak can seem like the end of the world if it happens at the wrong time. http;//www.go2-url.com/aeiasr www.costadelsol.mylocalgazette.com

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