Acne: Common Causes and Your Options

Acne is an all too common skin concern. Whether your acne tends to be more blackheads and whiteheads or the pimples we usually associate with the word ‘acne’, this article will help explain the causes of these blemishes, what can trigger them, and what you can do to treat and prevent breakouts.

Written by Louise Lemon

What Is Acne?

It is important to understand what acne is so that you know how best to identify your specific acne type and how to treat it. Acne blemishes take many forms, which are comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts.

Comedones come in two forms: open pore and closed pore. Closed pore comedones are more commonly called ‘whiteheads’ and open pore comedones are called ‘blackheads.’ Blackheads are flat and dark, while whiteheads are either white or flesh-colored and slightly raised.

Papules are raised, tender bumps that are small and usually red. Pustules are raised, tender bumps with a head of white pus. These are what most people think of when they think of acne pimples. Nodules are firm, large bumps that are painful; they sometimes develop into pustules or can remain under the skin without coming to a head. Cysts are large, painful, pus-filled bumps under the skin. They resemble boils in appearance.