Understanding Different Types of Acne

Tried every acne prescription under the sun?

Yet still your acne won’t go away?

Did you know dermatologists classify acne into five grades?

A useful tool, that helps you evaluate the level of acne in your skin and how to treat it.

THE TYPES OF ACNE

Grade One
This is the mildest form, it is most common in adolescents and some adults do suffer from this grade of acne.

• Blackheads and white heads are often found around the T zone, chin and forehead
• Milia may be present on the eye lids, or under the eyes and cheeks
• There may be a few minor pimples on the chin or cheeks
• At this stage there is no inflammation, and only a few papules or pustules present

Bacteria, dead cells and oil build up at the root of the hair follicle, p.acnes bacteria love this environment and start to multiply, which causes inflammation and redness in the pore.

Getting your acne under control at this stage is important, this is why a good treatment plan is key, which will help prevent pimples turning into painful cysts, and eliminate any chances of scarring.

Grade Two
These types of acne that can spread to the chest, back and shoulders.

• The T zone and forehead are most commonly affected
• Blackheads, white heads and milia are present
• Some papules may be visible, in the form of raised inflamed bumps
• Slight inflammation in the skin is apparent, along with some light superficial scarring

Grade Three
What differentiates these types of acne from grade two, is the level of inflammation in the skin.

• This acne is quite severe, it often looks angry and inflamed
• At this stage the texture of the skin has become uneven and dull, although not overally oily
• Inflamed papules are also present, as well as acne lesions referred to as pustules
• These begin to appear throughout the T zone, spreading out onto the cheeks. Other areas of the body also affected are the chest, neck, back and shoulders

Grade Four
This is often referred to as hormonal acne.

• This grade of acne is found around the lower part of the face, particularly along the chin, jaw and neck
• As with grade three, it is also found on the body
• Breakouts appear as flat-crusted lesions
• At this stage papules are red, inflamed and tender
• Nodules appear under the skin
• The skin becomes sensitised, inflamed and scarring is apparent
• This grade needs to be treated with extreme care, to prevent possible scarring and re-infection

Grade Five This is the cause of cystic acne and is the most severe form.

• The skin is very coarse and uneven
• Blackheads and comedones are replaced by fluid filled lumps, which are located under the skin’s surface which gives skin its uneven appearance
• Pitting is really evident with this grade, due to deep scarring
• This type of acne can be extremely painful
• When treating this grade of acne some do suffer psychologically, so they need to be treated with extreme care

With grade four and five the chances of scarring are high, this is why I refer my customers to a dermatologist; who are qualified to treat this severe grade.

If you are concerned about your skin, I advise making an appointment with a dermatologist, they will carry out a thorough assessment on your skin and accurately determine the acne classification, for your particular skin condition.

So you can treat it correctly, with minimum risk of infection and scarring.