Types of acne spots

Because acne has many stages and degrees of severity, it helps to understand the various types of acne blemishes and the corresponding level of severity of acne causing the problem. Some forms of acne are relatively mild and others indicate a deep infection of the pores and their related glands. Various levels of blemishes are listed below. They are presented so that the reader can inspect any skin defects that appear on them and determine the severity of their problem, if any.

The first type of dark spot we will discuss is the Closed Soft Comedo. It is the lowest level of non-irritated stain. Soft closed comedones appear as bumps on the surface of the skin. They are not painful or red. Soft closed comedones develop when a plug of cellular debris and oil becomes trapped within the pore and is covered by a layer of dead skin cells. The oil plug remains liquid or soft.

The second type of blemish is hard closed comedones. They are called milia. These have very obvious white heads. Unlike pustules, milia are not red or painful. They are especially common in the eye area. Hard closed comedones develop just like their soft counterparts. The difference is that the impaction has hardened and is similar to a grain of sand. The white head is not pus, but a mass of dead skin cells and sebum (oil).

Open comedones are the next type of blemish. The open comedo, or blackhead, is easy to identify by its surface coloration from dark brown to black. A blackhead is a buildup of dead skin cells and sebaceous matter within the follicle. Its upper part is not covered by a layer of dead skin cells, but is exposed to the air. The black color is not dirt. Air causes the oil to darken much like an apple turns brown when exposed to air.

Microcomedones are the last group of skin blemishes. A microcomedone is the beginning of an acne lesion. It occurs when the sebaceous duct and the opening of the pores become blocked by excess sebum and dead skin cells. Every blemish begins as a microcomedone. Most acne sufferers have many micromedons, but they are often too small to be seen with the naked eye.

With this background, the reader can self-examine his skin and determine if he has acne and also identify the type or types of blemishes he suffers from. Once the identification has been made, the reader will be able to determine the most appropriate type of treatment.