Acne is the most common dermatological disease worldwide. But not all acne is the same. The causes, forms and manifestations of the disease are as varied as the age of those affected. In this article you will learn how acne develops, what forms and characteristics it has and how it can be treated.
A genetic predisposition, hormonal changes, diet or stress, among other things, can be a trigger of the disease. In almost all acne patients, however, increased sebum production (seborrhea) can be detected, which is often a prerequisite of the disease.
In the case of hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands, the sebum can no longer flow freely to the outside, as the sebaceous gland channel is blocked by excess horny material. As a result, more bacteria accumulate in the sebaceous glands and blackheads develop.
With blackheads, a distinction is made between open blackheads and closed blackheads (whiteheads). At first, blackheads are still closed and not inflamed. However, sebum accumulates in the closed blackheads and cannot drain away, which can inflame surrounding tissue.
Characteristics of whiteheads: closed, skin colored, sebum can not drain
.Characteristics of blackheads: black spot at the top, open, sebum can drain well.
Acne is manifested by inflamed areas of the skin that promote the development of papules, pustules or nodules. It develops preferentially on skin areas with many sebaceous glands. These include: Face, neck, back, shoulders and the upper chest area.
Forms and severity of acne can vary greatly. Accordingly, the disease not only occurs during puberty, but can already be present in newborns or persist into the highest adulthood. The three most common forms of acne are acne comedonica, acne papulopustulosa and acne conglobata.
A mild form of acne is characterized primarily by small blackheads (comedones), which can expand at different rates and to varying degrees on the face as well as the trunk areas. Inflammations are often only mild or not present at all.
In a moderately severe form of acne, there are inflamed blackheads, so that papules or pustules appear. However, these symptoms can occur not only on the face, but also on the neck, chest or back. There is a risk of scarring.
Acne conglobata is a severe disease that occurs especially in men. Affected skin areas show papules, pustules, nodules as well as fistulas. These can extend over the entire face and back. In addition, there may be severe scarring.
Treatment of the various forms of acne is necessary to prevent scarring and improve the quality of life of those affected.
Different methods are suitable for the treatment of acne. In case of severe acne, you should definitely visit the dermatologist and get treated there. For mild acne, the right cosmetics can work wonders. Natural oils and extracts can greatly alleviate the symptoms. These include our sebum-regulating oils and our antibacterial extracts: Safflower oil, Grape seed oil, Horse chestnut extract und Willow bark extract as well as our anti-inflammatory active ingredient complex Niacinamide and zinc. If you are unsure about your skincare routine, we are happy to support you. With our skin test we put together an individual care routine for you that you can integrate perfectly into your everyday life.
- Borelli, C., Plewig, G., & Degitz, K. (2005). Pathophysiologie der Akne. Der Hautarzt, 56(11), 1013–1017.
- Gollnick HP, Zouboulis CC: Not all acne is acne vulgaris.
- Dtsch Arztebl Int 2014; 111: 301–12. DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2014.0301
- Melnik, B., & Chen, W. (2018). Akne und Rosazea. In Braun-Falco’s Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie (pp. 1305–1336). Springer.
- Plewig, G. (2005). Akne und Rosazea. In Dermatologie und Venerologie (pp. 885–909). Springer.
