Everyone has an answer in mind when you ask what acne is. The problem is that most of those answers would be wrong. Acne is a skin condition that affects not only the skin, but also the emotional well-being of those who have it.

If you get acne, chances are you are going through puberty or are getting ready to. On the other hand, there are people who have acne in their twenties, and even up into their fifties. Women often have adult acne.

Acne is a disease of the skin. When you have acne, you may have a variety of different lesions on your body because of it. These lesions are all caused because pores in the skin have become blocked.

Acne appears most often on the face. It can also show up on the chest. People can have it on their backs. In certain types of acne, the lesions can show up on the arms and thighs. Acne can be especially troublesome in areas where hair follicles are plentiful, in a fold of skin, such as the underarm.

If you or someone you know has acne, it does not make sense to take it lightly. This is especially true if the lesions are extremely severe. Teenagers, or anyone who has acne for that matter, can have a hard time emotionally because of acne.

Acne shows up as pustules, or pus-filled pimples. These are the ones that people squeeze to get out the white center. If you have pustules, they may rupture and spill their contents into the nearby skin tissues. There are also papules. These are small red dots that can be swollen and inflamed.

You might think that blackheads are filled with dirt, but that is not the case. The dark color is from the oil that shows through from the inside of the pore. Blackheads are also called open comedos.

A whitehead is also known as a closed comedo. That is because the hair follicle is totally blocked. Instead of a dark appearance, a whitehead will be light, sometimes even pink. It looks like a tiny bump in your skin.

Sometimes there are cysts. A cyst is just a pocket of skin that is filled with air, pus, or other materials. These acne lesions can become quite severe. People who try to squeeze a cyst will get more than they bargained for. The skin around the cyst will most likely get more damaged. Scarring may even result.

Nodules are very large areas of acne lesions. They are always tender and swollen. They rupture into the skin and cause inflammation. If you do nothing to take control of this problem, it will likely end in deep scarring. This is a severe lesion of acne.

Acne can be treated, and it should be treated. If you have a few common zits or a face-full of deep nodules, there is something you can do about it. If you need to go to a doctor, it is important to do that. One thing you will find out is what kind of acne it is that you have.