subject: Understanding Acne Vulgaris by:Jason Rickard [print this page] There are several types of acne and all of them are not a sight to behold for some. Acne can be a real nuisance, especially if covers your face. Aside from what you know as pimples it would also be a good idea acquaint yourself with acne lesions so that you can take proper action once you they start to appear. Acne vulgaris is a certain type of pimple much like whiteheads, blackheads, papules, nodules, pustules and cysts.
Whiteheads are white bumps that start to appear on your face whenever oil, dead skin cells and bacteria are trapped in your pores. These are the ones that you would be tempted to pop. Popping a whitehead is sometimes unnecessary since they disappear quickly and have short life spans. They are also referred to as "closed comedones".
If you see reddish and inflamed bumps, they are papules, another kind of acne vulagris. This acne has no head so you cannot just pop them out. Squeezing papules is not an option. Doing so can cause scarring and can lead to infection.
Acne that is similar to the characteristics of a whitehead is a pustule. You would notice a circular and reddish flesh that surrounds the head. The head would usually have a yellowish or whitish center. Pustules can be squeezed out, just be sure to have professionals do that for you.
A more severe case of acne vulgaris is the appearance of cysts and nodules. Nodules one acne types that is thought of as the most difficult to treat. It can take up to one to three months before it could completely disappear. These are large bumps that can lead to scarring. This kind of lesion should not be popped out at any cost because they can cause serious skin damage. If it gets infected it would take longer for it to heal.
The gruesome version of a nodule is a cyst. Aside from the reddish flesh that surrounds its head, it also contains pus. Cysts are large acne that have a diameter of around 5mm. These are the painful type of acne and can cause serious infection when squeezed out by a non-professional. At the first appearance of cysts or nodules, it would be best to consult your dermatologist so that swelling and scarring can be prevented.
