Prepare yourself for a let-down if you think you can find a treatment to prevent acne altogether. Completely preventing pimples just isn’t possible.

Acne is agitating and aggravating and, in itself, an umbrella for various types of lesions and their severity.

Although acne lacks a silver lining, education on acne can help you treat your skin properly and prevent permanent damage.
Acne does not discriminate by age, gender, or ethnicity. Mild to moderate lesions are the most common form of acne and are broken up into several categories.

Whiteheads are one of the most common types of acne. Whiteheads appear when a pore is blocked, trapping in oil, bacteria and dead skin cells creating a white puss that shows on the skin’s surface. Typically, whiteheads have a quick life cycle.

Opposite whiteheads, but just as common, are blackheads. Many people are under the false assumption that blackheads are caused specifically by dirt. As a myth buster, blackheads are similarly started like whiteheads but simply react differently with the oxygen in the air causing pigment. Blackheads, unfortunately, take a longer time to clear and heal.

Acne can also appear on the surface of the skin as papules or pustules. Papules are red and tender bumps with no head. Popping a papule is not a promising approach because they tend to leave you with the dreaded acne scar.

Pustules are the commonly visualized pimple when discussing acne. A pustule is a red circle with a white or yellow center. Unlike papules, popping a pustule is possible and must be attempted properly to avoid scarring.

Permanent damage and scarring from acne is linked to more severe types of lesions such as nodules and cysts. Nodules are considerably larger and painful bumps on the skin. Attempting to squeeze a nodule leads to swelling. Like nodules, cysts cannot be removed in a simple manner. Trying to pop this type of acne may lead to a deeper infection and greater inflammation.

In a league of its own, there’s another, more rare type of acne, acne rosacea. Acne rosacea appears as a rash. The redness is accompanied by blemishes and bumps. While natural remedies have proven to help eliminate acne rosacea, seeing a dermatologist may be the best option if you develop acne rosacea.

There are skin care products that make promises of perfection concerning acne. However, the best way to treat acne is to determine the types of acne and treat each type accordingly.