Types and causes of mild to moderate acne X CLOSE Think about this: when you decide to fight back, the first step is to know more about acne. Here’s the real deal on acne. What’s happening on your face could be a result of hormonal interaction with the skin's oil glands (aka sebaceous [suh-BAY-shuss] glands), which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks.

Many factors can cause hormone-related acne, including puberty, pregnancy, or starting or stopping birth control pills. The tendency to develop acne may be inherited from your parents (blame them!), while certain drugs are also known to cause acne.

Even though nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne¹, each case and each face is unique.

Your acne probably falls into one of the following categories doctors use:

Noninflammatory lesions: Comedones (KOM-e-doans), the most common form of acne, are simply enlarged and plugged hair follicles (the place on your face where a single hair emerges).

Microcomedones are a buildup of sebum (SEE-bum) (that oily secretion) and other skin matter, such as bacteria and pigment, underneath the skin’s surface.

If the comedones stay beneath the skin, they are called closed comedones. This type of acne produces a white bump commonly called a whitehead.

A comedone that reaches the surface of the skin and opens up is commonly called a blackhead. Although it may look black on the skin's surface, this discoloration is not due to dirt. Both whiteheads and blackheads may stay in the skin for a long time.

Inflammatory lesions: Papules (PAP-yules) form when overloaded hair follicles spill their contents into the surrounding skin tissue. They appear as small bumps and are usually red, swollen, and tender. (“Ouch, don’t touch me there!”) Red pimples are inflamed papules that usually appear as small, pink bumps on the skin and can be tender to the touch.

Sometimes these papules are topped by pus-filled pimples called pustules (PUHST-yules) that may be red at the base. These are caused by the body’s white blood cells attacking a clogged hair follicle. (Tempting to pop, but DON’T. More about that later.)

 

Think smart–caring for acne-prone skin

It’s always a good idea to take care of your skin because by the time the damage appears, you don’t get a chance to rewind and start over.

It’s especially important when you have an acne breakout, so you can minimize the chance of infection and not aggravate your acne.

First, the bad news: here’s what can make your acne worse²:

• Changing hormone levels in teenage girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their period starts
• Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, sports equipment, or tight collars
• Pollution and high humidity
• Squeezing or picking at pimples
• Hard scrubbing of the skin

Now the good news: how people with acne can care for their skin

These tips are provided by the National Institutes of Health.¹ And they ought to know. While these are general suggestions, remember to always follow any specific instructions your doctor may give you.

• Clean skin gently. Use a mild cleanser in the morning, evening, and after heavy workouts. Scrubbing the skin does not stop acne. It can even make the problem worse
• Try not to touch your skin. People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their pimples can get scars or dark spots on their skin
• Shave carefully. If you shave, you can try both electric and safety razors to see which works best. With safety razors, use a sharp blade. Also, it helps to soften your beard with soap and water before putting on shaving cream. Shave lightly and only when you have to
• Stay out of the sun. Many acne medicines can make people more likely to sunburn. Being in the sun a lot can also make skin wrinkle and raise the risk of skin cancer
• Choose makeup carefully. All makeup should be oil free. Look for the word "noncomedogenic" on the label. This means that the makeup will not clog up your pores. But some people still get acne even if they use these products

Think you’ve got the 411 on acne? Click here to test your acne IQ.

1. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. National Institutes of Health. What is acne? Fast facts: an easy-to-read series of publications for the public. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/acne/ffacne.htm. Accessed May 29, 2007.
2. Adapted from National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. National Institutes of Health.
   Questions and answers about acne. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/acne/acne.htm.
   Accessed March 19, 2007.