Types of Acne and Tips to Deal With It

When it comes to medical illnesses, there is no shortage of conditions, and people are rather specific when describing what ails them. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with skincare issues, and most people lump all types of acne into one category: acne.

This article will explore the various types of acne, such as inflammatory, comedonal, and nodular acne, to give you a better understanding of what might be affecting your skin. Continue reading to learn what you can do to improve your skin today.

Inflammatory acne is a fairly common type of acne that is usually associated with red, swollen, and sore bumps. Cystic acne is a form of inflammatory acne, which is caused when pores become clogged with dead skin cells or bacteria.

Not all forms of inflammatory acne involve cysts under the skin. It can also present itself as nodules (red bumps without a head), pustules (whiteheads), or papules (small cone-shaped inflamed bumps).

The cystic type of acne usually occurs when your pores get clogged with excess sebum, oil from skincare products, or dead skin cells.

Comedonal acne is quite different from inflammatory acne. To start, there is no inflamed red skin, bacteria, or pus that fills the lesion. Instead, you can identify comedonal acne by whiteheads (known as closed comedones) or by blackheads (known as closed comedones). You might also experience:

• Microcomedones (comedones that are not visible)
• Macrocomedones (closed comedones measuring 2-3 millimeters across)
• Giant comedones (large comedone with blackhead-looking opening)
• Solar comedones (found on the cheeks and form from sun damage)

This type of acne usually occurs when dead skin cells or excess oil block your oil-producing glands, leading to bulging of affected pores.

We’ve mentioned cystic acne; nodular acne is very similar but a bit different. Nodular acne is described as hard bumps that grow deep beneath your skin. They are quite painful, solid, and large. Not only can you see the outward bump, but you’ll also be able to feel the bump deep within your skin. Sometimes they will contain pus, but they are always inflamed.

This is a serious type of acne that requires treatment from a dermatologist and occurs when Cutibacterium acnes, a bacteria, is trapped under your skin. If you leave this type of acne untreated, it will result in severe and permanent scarring.

If you are not dealing with a severe form of acne, such as nodular acne, the best approach is to begin with a skincare routine. Skincare routines don’t need to be expensive or complicated to be effective. A simple skincare routine like cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen is more than enough to begin seeing results.

However, you should ensure that the skincare products you are using are meant for your skin type; otherwise, you might end up making things worse. You might also want to add targeted treatments, like face masks or serums.

Even if you have normal skin, using a skincare routine will ensure the longevity of your skin later in life.

If there is one thing that many people overlook, it’s the significant impact that their diet and lifestyle have on their skin. If you are trying hard with your skincare routine and your products are as effective as you’d hoped, it might be that your lifestyle and diet could use improvement.

For example, research shows that foods that raise your blood sugar levels rapidly are linked to increased acne. Other studies have shown that diets high in greasy foods increase acne too. As a general rule of thumb, when trying to improve your skin, focus on a diet that consists mainly of your major food groups: carbs, proteins, and healthy fats.

Chances are, there are many aspects of your lifestyle that you could improve. Do you get enough sleep? Do you get enough exercise? Are you washing your hands consistently throughout the day? All these factors, and more, could lead to breakouts and acne.

In summary, the first step to solving your acne-related problems is to identify the type of acne you have. Skincare products are not only formulated around a skin type but for specific acne too. By crafting a personalized skincare routine and making a few lifestyle and diet changes, you should see a big difference in no time.