Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It has three main layers. They are, the vein from the outermost, epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. Any area with sebaceous glands is prone to acne – especially the face, back and chest.
An acne lesion (pimple) grows when bacteria, oil and dead skin fill up and inflame your pores. Pores are the tiny openings in your skin through which oil and sweat rise to the surface. About 40,000 skin cells shed every hour, but sometimes these dead cells clog your pores. Sometimes clogged pores are small and lead to ‘white or blackheads’. Sometimes these pores become inflamed and lead to other types of acne.
If you have acne, you are not alone! Acne is the most common skin disease in the world. About 80% of people between the ages of 11 and 30 will have it. Teens get acne because of their changing hormones. Adults experience stress, the environment, menstrual cycles, oil-based products and birth control pills, although hormones still play a role.
Acne scars take two main forms:
Either a scar appears when there is a loss of tissue, resulting in a gap in the surface of the skin; Or the appearance of a raised scar on the surface of the skin. This type of acne scar, in fact, is a sign that your skin is doing its job — but, perhaps, too well. Your skin produces collagen (“repair tissue”) to help heal the wound – acne – but if it produces too much collagen, raised scars form.
What are the types of acne and what does it look like?
Acne takes many different forms. Whiteheads and blackheads are the most common and tend to heal smoothly more often.
Then there are the types that can lead to scarring:
Papules: Pink to red bumps that hurt when touched.
Pustules: pus-filled lesions. They are red at the base and white or yellow at the top.
Nodules: solid lesions. They are larger than papules and pustules and can hurt more because they extend deeper into the skin.
Cysts: Cysts are located deep within the skin. It’s painful, pus-filled, and likely scarring.
How does acne cause scars?
Keep in mind that just because you have acne, it does not mean that you will get scars. And if that happens (one in five people with acne suffers from scarring as well), the good news is that not all acne scars are permanent! Treatments are available. Some treatments virtually remove scars while others help the skin heal itself using its own collagen.
Are any tests done to diagnose the type of acne scar?
A visual examination by a dermatologist is sufficient to establish the diagnosis. A dermatologist may also determine the severity of your acne scarring. The single measurement system contains four grades of acne scarring: macular, mild, medium and severe. The first degree, the macular, is a red but flat scar. Grade II, mild, is a scar that can be easily covered with makeup or facial hair. Third grade, average, “obvious at social distance.” It is not easily covered with makeup or facial hair. Finally, grade 4, severe, is very visible scarring at a social distance greater than 50 cm (1.64 ft). It is unlikely that facial hair or makeup will completely cover these scars.
What treatments are available in clinics for the problem of the effects of grain?
You can resort to peeling or fractional laser treatment to remove acne scars.
And wait for a detailed article in which we talk about peeling and fractional laser procedures.
