[amandarichards]

Acne, medically known as Acne Vulgaris, is a skin disease that involves the oil glands at the base of hair follicles. It commonly occurs during puberty when the sebaceous (oil) glands come to life - the glands are stimulated by male hormones produced by the adrenal glands of both males and females.

Acne is not dangerous, but can leave skin scars. Human skin has pores (tiny holes) which connect to oil glands located under the skin. The glands are connected to the pores via follicles - small canals. These glands produce Sebum, an oily liquid. The sebum carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. A small hair grows through the follicle out of the skin. Pimples grow when these follicles get blocked, resulting in an accumulation of oil under the skin.

In humans, pimples tend to appear on the face, back, chest, shoulders and neck.

Simply put - skin cells, sebum and hair can clump together into a plug, this plug gets infected with bacteria, resulting in a swelling. A pimple starts to develop when the plug begins to break down.

Scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine found that there are good and bad strains of bacteria which determine the severity and frequency of developing acne. They explained in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (March 2013 issue) that not all acne bacteria trigger pimples - in fact, one strain they identified can actually help keep the skin pimple-free.
There are various types of pimples

Whiteheads - remain under the skin and are very small.

Blackheads - clearly visible, they are black and appear on the surface of the skin. Remember that a blackhead is not caused by dirt. Scrubbing your face vigorously when you see blackheads will not help.

Papules - visible on the surface of the skin. They are small bumps, usually pink.

Pustules - clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are red at their base and have pus at the top.

Nobules - clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are large, solid pimples. They are painful and are embedded deep in the skin.

Cysts - clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are painful, and are filled with pus. Cysts can easily cause scars.

[parisharma]

Acne also called acne vulgaris, is skin disease. It occurs at puberty peroid when sebceous glands are come to human life and the male harmone stimulated by adernal glands of both females and males.