Acne is a common skin ailment caused by the combined effects of clogged pores in your skin, excess production of a natural oil called sebum, inflammation and the presence of bacteria called P. acnes. The condition can create a number of different skin lesions, including the raised, red bumps commonly known as pimples.
The Facts
The surface of your skin is covered with pores--skin openings that contain hair follicles, according to the Nemours Foundation. Each of these pores also contains specialized structures called sebaceous glands, which produce the sebum that provides moisture for your skin and hair. When sebum production increases dramatically, as it does during adolescence, some of the oil gets trapped below the surface of your skin. When combined with the presence of bacteria and dead skin cells, this trapped oil can clog pores, leading to the formation of the various lesions associated with acne.
Blackheads and Whiteheads
The clogging of your pores triggers inflammation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and it's the location of this inflammation that determines what types of lesions you experience. Small amounts of inflammation near the surface of your skin can cause blackheads or whiteheads. Blackheads occur when your pores experience partial clogs, the Nemours Foundation explains. Whiteheads occur when your pores clog completely and protrude above the surface of your skin.
Pimples
Pimples, also called papules, develop when inflammation occurs further beneath the surface of your skin, the AAD reports. Inflammation at this level breaks the walls of your pores and provides a pathway for bacteria, dead skin cells and sebum to accumulate below your skin's surface, the Nemours Foundation says. This leads to the development of an infection, which triggers the formation of pimples' classic red bumps. If skin inflammation occurs at a still deeper level, you may develop pustules, a form of pimple filled with the infection-related fluid called pus.
Nodules and Cysts
If you experience pore inflammation at a very deep level, you can develop painful lesions called nodules and cysts, the AAD says. Nodules, which are solid lumps, develop from secretion accumulations deep in your hair follicles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Pus-filled cysts, which can trigger long-term scarring, develop beneath the surface of your skin.
Treatments
If you have pimples or other forms of acne, your doctor can devise a treatment plan customized to your specific situation, according to the AAD. Factors that influence your treatment options include the type and severity of your acne, your age and your gender. If you're female, your doctor will also need to know if you are breastfeeding, pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Typically, mild cases of acne require topical medications, while moderate or severe cases require oral antibiotics, the AAD says. Additional options for moderate or severe acne include combined use of topicals and oral antibiotics, corticosteroid injections and birth control pills approved for acne treatment.
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