Your acne treatment largely depends on the causes and symptoms you’ve been facing, along with your skin type. This is why understanding the basics is crucial.
What Causes Acne?
Acne sets in when your skin’s sebaceous glands produce excessive sebum. The sebum mixes with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria on your skin, clogging the pores. Several factors can be the culprit behind excessive sebum, some being -
Hormonal Changes:
Teenagers deal with a fair share of hormonal fluctuations. These changes can enlarge your sebaceous glands or pores, leading to excessive sebum production, which then causes acne.
Bacterial Growth:
Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a bacteria that thrives in clogged pores. This bacteria causes inflammation and leads to acne. When a pimple pops, this bacteria spreads to the rest of your skin and causes an acne breakout.
Genetic Factors:
Genetics plays a significant role in determining the severity and frequency of acne outbreaks. If you have a family history of acne, chances are that you’re predisposed to the condition too.
Diet and Lifestyle:
Certain dietary factors, such as high glycemic index foods, can exacerbate acne symptoms. They lead to a spike in insulin, which causes oily skin and acne.
The Different Types of Acne
Acne shows up differently depending on its cause. This may change the direction of your acne treatment, too. Getting a handle on the severity of your acne and the different types can help guide the best acne treatment options:
Comedonal Acne:
Symptoms - Comedones are what clog the pores of your skin. Comedonal acne shows up as blackheads and whiteheads, blocking your pores, often around your chin and on the nose.
Causes - Clogged follicles due to oiliness, dietary factors, hormones, or overhydration can lead to comedonal acne.
Inflammatory Acne:
Symptoms - Inflammatory acne shows up as papules (small, red bumps) or pustules (pus-filled pimples). These are larger, more inflamed, and can lead to skin irritation.
Causes - Once your pores are clogged with impurities trapped within, bacteria like Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis can lead to an infection and trigger inflammation.
Nodulocystic and cystic Acne:
Symptoms - This tends to be one of the most severe forms of acne, leaving you with deep, painful cysts that can last for weeks or months. Cystic or nodular acne creates hard lumpy knots deep under your skin’s surface. On the surface, they show up as red bumps with no whitehead at the center.
Cause - Nodular acne is caused when a bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) gets trapped deep under your skin. This forms a lump of pus under the skin’s surface that looks like inflamed acne.