Lets talk about acne.

Acne, known in medicine as acne vulgaris, is an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous follicle. Acne usually affects everyone at some point in their lifetime. It’s most common among teenagers and young adults undergoing hormonal changes, but acne can also occur during adulthood. Adult acne is more common among women and people assigned female at birth. You may be more at risk of developing acne if you have a family history of acne (genetics). Acne is characterised by both inflammatory and non-inflammatory (permanent) changes to the epidermis. Among the inflammatory ones are papules, pustules, nodules - known as pimples, and among the non-inflammatory ones - blackheads (open comedones), whiteheads (closed comedones/microcysts), and in some cases macrocysts (cysts larger than 5 mm). They are mostly seen on the face, but may spread to the chest, shoulders, back - areas rich in sebaceous glands. In many cases they leave behind scars and hyperpigmented spots.
There are several types of acne:
Fungal acne:
Fungal acne is an infection in hair follicles. It causes clusters of small, itchy, red bumps (papules) or pustules (white heads) of a similar size (1-2mm), on your skin. Most often appear on the forehead, temple and frontal hair line.
Hormonal acne:
Hormonal acne is that caused by a hormonal imbalance in the human body and is associated with the overproduction of sebum (an oily substance in the skin glands), which clogs the pores and leads to the appearance of pimples and eruptions that can range from blackheads and whiteheads to painful cysts. In adolescents, it all starts with the T-zone. It includes the forehead, nose and chin. In adults, already out of the puberty stage, acne usually forms on the lower cheeks and around the jawline.
Symptoms that may signal a certain hormonal imbalance are inflammation of the skin, production of more sebum in the pores, clogged skin cells in the hair follicles, production of acne-causing bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes.
Nodular acne:
Nodular acne can often be mistaken for papules and vice versa. The difference with these types of acne is that nodules form deep in the surface of the skin. Nodules form when bacteria in the pores along with excess oil and dead skin cells.
Nodules are bumps that are hard and painful to the touch.They can be skin colored but are more often red because they are inflamed. These nodules can last for weeks and even months and can eventually form cysts in the layers of the skin if left untreated.
Nodular acne is a severe type of acne and can often be confused with cystic acne.
Severe nodular acne can lead to permanent scarring if left untreated.
You should consult your dermatologist for your acne treatment plan.
Cystic acne:
Cystic acne is the most severe type of acne. It is a type of inflammatory acne that causes deep, pus-filled pimples and nodules. Acne occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog the pores of the skin. In cystic acne, bacteria also get into the pores and cause swelling or inflammation. Cysts can be mistaken for nodules due to similar appearance and pain level. However, cysts are pus filled rather than hard to the touch. While most are often noticeable on the face, cystic acne can also occur on the back, neck, and shoulders. Cystic acne can cause scars. Possible causes could be hormonal changes, genetics, medications and diet.
Due to its severity, a treatment plan prescribed by your dermatologist will be most effective in treating cystic acne.
If you're not sure what type of acne you have, or you have stubborn acne, schedule an appointment with a dermatologist to discuss the best treatment options.
Treatment:
There are several ways to treat acne. Each type of treatment varies based on your age, the type of acne you have and the severity. A healthcare provider might recommend taking oral medications, using topical medications or using medicated therapies to treat your skin.
Topical acne medications:
Benzoyl peroxide, Salicylic acid, Azelaic acid, Retinol, Topical antibiotics.
Oral acne medications:
Antibiotics, Isotretinoin, Contraceptives, Hormone therapy, Additional acne therapies.
Different types of acne therapies:
Steroids, Lasers, Chemical peels.
Treating your acne but still seeing new breakouts?
The reason could be that you are trying a new acne treatment every week or at short intervals. Give the acne treatment time to work. Use a product for 6 to 8 weeks. It takes approximately time to see some improvement. If you do not see improvement by then, the therapy may be changed. Complete clearing usually takes 3 to 4 months.
A possible reason could be that you are applying anti-acne medication only on the blemishes. It makes sense to treat what you see, but this approach fails to prevent new breakouts. To prevent new lesions, spread a thin layer of the acne medication evenly over the acne-prone skin.
The cause may be your skin care routine. Even with proper acne treatment, if proper skin care is not taken, new acne lesions can appear. This is essential to achieve good treatment results and reduce the risk of developing acne.
Skin Care Routine for Acne:
Cleanse.
Wash the skin twice a day and after sweating. Sweating, especially when wearing a hat or helmet, can aggravate acne, so wash your skin as soon as possible after sweating. Frequent washing can irritate the skin and make symptoms worse.
Wash the affected area with a mild soap or cleanser and lukewarm water. Very hot or cold water can make acne worse. Use your fingertips to apply a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser. Using a washcloth, mesh sponge, or anything else can irritate the skin.
Use gentle products, such as those that do not contain alcohol. Do not use products that irritate your skin, such as toners and exfoliants. Dry, red skin makes acne look worse.
Do not scrub your face.
If your skin feels greasy, dirty, or grimy, you may be tempted to scrub it clean.
Scrubbing can irritate acne-prone skin, which worsens acne.
Dont use products to dry the skin and avoid using products with alcohol.
Skin with acne is oily, so it can be tempting to apply acne treatments until you feel your facial skin dry. Dry skin is irritated skin. Every time you irritate your skin, your risk of more acneic lesions increases. If you feel your skin dry, use a water-based, fragrance-free emollient.
Use an oil-free moisturizer.
Apply the moisturizer designed for acne-prone skin twice a day after washing your face.
The skin should be hydrated and calm.
Avoid using too much makeup and cosmetics.
Use water-based, makeup, sunscreen, skin care and hair care products that are described as non-comedogenic or non-clogging. These products do not cause lesions in most people and are less likely to block skin pores. Make sure you are the only person using your makeup, makeup brushes and makeup applicators.
Completely remove makeup before bedtime.
Even non-comedogenic makeup can cause acne if you sleep with it.
Resist touching, picking, and popping your acne.
Popping a pimple may seem like the fastest way to clear it, but popping it can actually make things worse. When you squeeze the pimples, you'll likely push some of what's inside (such as pus, dead skin cells, or bacteria) deeper into your skin. As a result, inflammation increases. Every time you touch, pick, or pop, you can worsen acne and cause permanent scarring.
Any case of acne can be treated successfully. If you have stubborn acne, see a dermatologist to treat your acne. Dermatologists can help treat existing acneic lesions, prevent new breakouts and reduce the risk of scarring.