Skin blemishes consist of any flaw or imperfection that is visible on your skin. These blemishes can be smooth or rough, raised or flat, as well as benign or cancerous. Understanding the most common skin blemishes your body can develop keeps you aware of the health of your body and allows you to seek out medical attention before a small blemish becomes a serious health problem.
Acne
Acne is one of the most common skin blemishes you can develop. Most cases of acne start once you hit puberty and can remain all the way through adulthood, depending on your particular genetics and skin type. Acne occurs when excess dead skin cells combine with the natural oil of your skin, called sebum. This creates a hard substance that can clog pores, resulting in a comedone (blackhead or whitehead). Acne can progress into more serious forms (such as cysts or nodules) when the comedone becomes infected with the Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria, or develops inflammation. Treatments vary by severity of the breakout and can range from over-the-counter topical medications to a treatment of antibiotics.
Eczema
Also known as dermatitis, eczema is a skin condition that develops when skin becomes dry and scaly, sometimes progressing into painful cracks or bleeding. If left untreated, eczema can also become inflamed. Depending on the severity of the condition, treatment can vary from the regular use of a moisturizing lotion to the application of prescription corticosteroids.
Moles
Moles occur when melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing the skin pigment melanin, grow too close together on the skin. As the cluster of melanocytes produces melanin, the area above the cells becomes inundated with pigment, resulting in brown spots on the skin. Regardless of whether or not the mole looks harmless, you should always have it looked at by a medical professional, because moles can commonly be a sign of a developing skin cancer, such as melanoma.
Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs are common on areas of the skin where you shave or tweeze on a regular basis. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair strand is able to curl back around and penetrate back into the follicle. This results in inflammation, redness and sometimes itching. The treatments for ingrown hairs vary from changing the ways you shave to permanent solutions, such as laser hair removal.
Warts
Warts are skin blemishes caused by a form of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus gains access to the skin when you touch infected surfaces (such as towels or shower floors). The virus can also spread if you touch a wart and then touch other areas of your skin. As the virus infects the skin, it encourages skin cells to accelerate their growth, resulting in a small patch of raised skin. The common wart and genital warts are caused by different strains of HPV, with common warts causing more infection due to how easily that strain of the virus spreads. Genital warts are primarily spread through sexual contact. Warts are commonly treated with over-the-counter remedies, such as salicylic acid, or surgical removal.
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