All types of acne start with a hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria known as a comedo.
What type of acne do you have? Knowing your enemy is the first step in fighting this problem.
Acne is usually categorized into either inflamed or non-inflamed and then into the various types.
Non Inflamed Acne Whiteheads This is the most common form of acne, whiteheads are officially known as closed comedones.
When sebum (the natural oil) accumulates and plugs the follicle a whitehead is formed.
The reason that it looks white is that it is not exposed to the air which can oxidize and darken the tip of the comedon.
Blackheads Are similar to whiteheads but the the plugged follicle has come to the surface technically known as an open comedon.
Blackhead are usually caused when your skin makes too much oil.
As the comedon is open to the air the tip oxidizes and turns black.
Puberty is common trigger for the production of blackheads.
The rapid change in hormone level causes your skin to produce oil, an unfortunately this the side effect of this normal process.
There a few other causes of blackheads, if you don't wash your skin properly dead skin cells can build up blocking the pores.
Some cosmetics and moisturizers can also promote blackheads.
Other culprits can be pollution, humidity and working a in a greasy environment such as near a deep fryer.
While preventing blackheads means you need to keep you skin clean, excessive scrubbing can make breakouts worse.
Your skin is supposed to produce oil to keep it soft and supple as well as protecting your skin from drying effects of the environment.
Scrubbing or other irritants actually make your skin produce more oil.
Both blackheads and whiteheads can release their contents on to the surface of the skin and heal.
Or in some cases the follicle wall breaks and they become inflamed acne.
This breaking of the follicle wall can occur randomly or by picking or touching the skin.
Inflamed acne Papules Papules are basically inflamed whiteheads, they are reddish colored cone shaped bumps, some people call them blind pimples.
It is the inflammation that makes them painful.
Contrary to popular belief that do not contain any pus so squeezing will not have any effect other that damaging you skin and possible ending up with a permanent scar.
Pustules These are similar to papules except that they have a white or pale yellow center cause by visible pus.
Unlike papules they are generally painless.
This what people usually call a pimple or zit.
These are the most tempting to squeeze or pick, however this will only allow more bacteria to enter the skin and can leave a permanent scar.
Nodules and Cysts Nodules and cysts occur over large areas and are usually very painful.
They form when an inflamed follicle completely collapses or explodes into the surrounding skin.
Both are deep in the skin, nodules are hard while cysts are softer and pus filled.
They are much larger than papules and pustules.
This type of acne takes longer to heal, is most likely to leave scaring and is much more common in males that females.
It is never advisable to squeeze acne and even more so with nodules and cysts.