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How to Identify Different Types of Acne for Treatment

Tagged in: Skin Health
by Dr. Bryan Do, D.O

 different types of acne

Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States. It can affect just about anyone, regardless of your age, race or sex. Depending on their severity, pimples can cause embarrassment, emotional distress, and permanent scarring. You can reduce the risk of these problems by treating your acne as early as possible. Below we will discuss how to identify different types of acne and how to treat them naturally.

Different Types of Acne

 

Different types of acne

Acne most often appears on the face, but it can form on the neck, shoulder, back, and chest. There are several different types of acne:

  • Whiteheads: pores are plugged and closed
    • Treatment: Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid, Azelaic acid
    • Home Remedies: Zinc Supplement
  • Blackheads: pores are plugged and open
    • Treatment: Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid, Azelaic acid
    • Home Remedies: Zinc Supplement
  • Papules: small read bumps that can be tender
  • Pimples: papules with pus at their head
    • Treatment: Retinol and Benzyol Peroxide
    • Home Remedies: Dermatrope Acne Patch
  • Nodules: large, painful swellings beneath the skin’s surface
  • Cystic lesions: pus-filled swelling under the skin’s surface
    • Treatment: Retinol and Benzyol Peroxide
    • Home Remedies: Zinc, Dermatrope Supplement, & Acne Patch

Regardless of the kind of acne you have, we've found that all types of Acne benefit from simple changes to your diet. See our article on how you can get clearer skin in 30 days.

Acne Medication List

dermatrope retinol

Current medical guidelines treat acne’s proximate causes using the following strategies1:

  • Abnormal follicular cell growth and desquamation (exfoliation) is treated with the following agents:
    • Retinoids that promote cell turnover, reduce inflammation, and promote healing of acne2

       

      • First generation retinoids: retinol, retinal, tretinoin (retinoic acid), isotretinoin, and alitretinoin
      • Second generation: etretinate and its metabolite acitretin
      • Third generation: adapalene, bexarotene, and tazarotene
    • Azelaic acid: This is a good antibacterial treatment for pimples because it penetrates the skin’s pores and kills acne-causing
    • Salicyclic acid which increases cell turnover and promotes exfoliation
    • Hormonal therapies like oral contraceptive pills and spironolactone
  • Increased sebum production is treated using the following agents:
    • Isotretinoin (Accutane) which has strict prescribing protocols due to the risk of birth defects in pregnant females (Prescription Acne Medication)
    • Hormonal therapies (Prescription Acne Medication)
  • acnes infection is treated with
    • Benzoyl peroxide which is an over-the-counter agent
    • Antibiotics (Prescription Acne Medication)
    • Azelaic acid
  • Inflammation is treated with
    • Retinoids
    • Mild antibiotics of the tetracycline class (Prescription Acne Medication)
    • Azelaic acid

Now that you know what kind of acne there is, you can learn what to do about it. Acne comes in different varieties and severity. However, they all have the same underlying pathophysiology. Depending on your acne type and severity, your doctor may treat your acne with any number or combination of therapies. We recommend changing your diet in addition to these therapies.

Sources:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4106357/
  2. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-acne-vulgaris?search=acne%20vulgaris%20treatment&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
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