The skin has glands that are called sebaceous glands. These glands
produce sebum and oil. This mixture keeps the skin moist on the surface.
The sebum rises on the surface of the skin through the hair follicle in
the sebaceous gland. In normal skin without acne, the gland opening is
clear and the sebum easily comes out. Due to certain disturbance, the
gland opening closes with the dead skin cells. This stops the path of
sebum and this is the beginning of acne.
Acne develops in three stages.
First Stage:
In the first stage, you will observe comedones called blackheads and whiteheads. Blackheads have a little opening, while whiteheads are closed comedones. The black substance in blackheads is not dirt but oxidized sebum. These comedones contain a mixture of sebum and dead cells.
Second Stage:
The sebum in the gland begins getting infected with a bacteria called 'p.acnes'. This bacteria multiplies in the gland in the absence of air and the presence of excess sebum and dead cells. As the bacteria multiplies, the gland gets infected. This stage of acne is called pustule. Papules are cellular mass that are not inflamed while pustules are infected lesions. Papules are bigger than whiteheads in size.
Third Stage:
Nodules are like papules. They are the third stage of acne. Nodules are solid lesions but unlike papules, they are infected lesions and the infection goes in the deeper layers of skin. Nodules can cause pain and may not respond to common OTC treatments. Cysts are big sacs that are full of infected sebum, bacteria, dead cells and white blood cells. Cysts are much larger that pustules and infect the deep layers of skin like nodular acne. In nodulocystic acne, cysts and nodules form together. Some experts say that cysts are severely infected nodules and should be called as such.
Doctors try to intervene during the process of formation of acne and its growth and try to prevent formation of cysts which can scar the skin forever.
Acne develops in three stages.
First Stage:
In the first stage, you will observe comedones called blackheads and whiteheads. Blackheads have a little opening, while whiteheads are closed comedones. The black substance in blackheads is not dirt but oxidized sebum. These comedones contain a mixture of sebum and dead cells.
Second Stage:
The sebum in the gland begins getting infected with a bacteria called 'p.acnes'. This bacteria multiplies in the gland in the absence of air and the presence of excess sebum and dead cells. As the bacteria multiplies, the gland gets infected. This stage of acne is called pustule. Papules are cellular mass that are not inflamed while pustules are infected lesions. Papules are bigger than whiteheads in size.
Third Stage:
Nodules are like papules. They are the third stage of acne. Nodules are solid lesions but unlike papules, they are infected lesions and the infection goes in the deeper layers of skin. Nodules can cause pain and may not respond to common OTC treatments. Cysts are big sacs that are full of infected sebum, bacteria, dead cells and white blood cells. Cysts are much larger that pustules and infect the deep layers of skin like nodular acne. In nodulocystic acne, cysts and nodules form together. Some experts say that cysts are severely infected nodules and should be called as such.
Doctors try to intervene during the process of formation of acne and its growth and try to prevent formation of cysts which can scar the skin forever.
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