Before you can actually come up with a good treatment routine to help your acne problem, you need to understand what type of acne you are dealing with. There are many different forms and types of acne, and each one has its’ own characteristics and may respond differently to different types of treatment. One the one hand, acne can be quite mild and easy to treat; however, there are other forms of acne that are more severe and treating them may be more difficult as well. Some types of acne may even cause scarring or may be disfiguring, which can be hard to deal with. Whether your acne is very mild or you are dealing with a severe case, understanding the different types of acne can be a huge help.

Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris

The most common type of acne that you will see is mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Most people only deal with this type of acne, but even though it usually is fairly mild, it can still cause discomfort and can look unsightly.  There are several types of pimples that are categorized under mild to moderate acne vulgaris, including whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, and papules.

-  Whiteheads – Whiteheads are one form of mild to moderate acne vulgaris and they occur when sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria come together and clog up a pore. This in turn then causes a whitehead on the surface of your skin. Usually whiteheads do not last to long, but one of the most important things to remember about them is that you should never pop them on your own. This causes the bacteria to come out, which can then affect other pores as well, leading to more whiteheads.

-  Blackheads – Another type of acne vulgaris is blackheads. Blackheads also occur when the sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria clog the pore; however, with a blackhead, the pore is only partially blocked. This allows some of the contents to come to the surface, which gives it the black appearance. Blackheads usually last quite a bit longer than whiteheads do.

-  Pustules – Pustules may appear a bit like a whitehead; however, they are more inflamed. Usually they have a yellow center and then a red inflamed circle that surrounds it. These are some of the most common types of pimples that people deal with, and it is usually best not to pop them or you may cause more pustules to appear or you may even cause scarring.

-  Papules – A papule is a bump that is red and inflamed; however, it will have no head. They can be extremely tender, and if you squeeze them you greatly increase the chance of scarring.

Severe Acne Vulgaris

While most people only have to deal with mild or moderate acne vulgaris, some people may have a more severe case of the problem. Usually the severe acne vulgaris includes either nodules or cysts.

-  Nodules – Nodules are larger acne spots that can be extremely painful. They are actually bumps that are hard and beneath the surface of the skin. People who deal with nodules often have scars from them, and in no case should you ever squeeze them, since it can cause damage to the skin and cause the nodule to last even longer. Often a nodule can actually last for a couple months; however, often dermatologists can help.

-  Cysts – Another type of severe acne includes cysts. While cysts may appear a bit like a nodules, they are filled with pus and usually are more than 5mm wide. This is a type of inflammatory acne and it tends to be quite painful. You should never squeeze an acne cyst either or your risk pushing the inflammation even deeper into your skin.

A Few Other Types of Severe Acne

Most types of severe acne are quite rare; however, they do occur. This type of acne can actually be disfiguring and can cause any number of psychological affects as well as physical affects. The following are a few kinds you should know about.

-  Acne Conglobata – This is a type of acne that is extremely severe and it is most commonly found in men. It comes along with many lesions of acne and numerous blackheads that are all over the skin. Not only can it cause long term damage to skin, but it can also be extremely disfiguring as well. Usually this type of acne strikes men between the ages of 18-30 and it can actually last for years. No one is quite sure what causes this severe form of acne, but over time it can be treated.

-  Pyoderma Faciale – Pyoderma faciale is a very severe type of acne that only affects women. Usually it will affect women somewhere between the ages of 20-40. There can be very painful pustules and nodules that often lead to scarring. Usually it occurs very quickly, and many times it affects women who have never dealt with acne in their life. Thankfully, it usually does not last more than one year; however, still the effects can be very devastating on the skin.

No matter what type of acne you are dealing with, it can definitely affect your levels of self esteem. Understanding your acne can help, and no matter what type you are dealing with there are treatments out there that can help. No matter what type of acne you have, always remember that there is hope for treatment that can renew your skin.