Acne is easily identified by those annoying little zits, pimples and spots that you find on your face, usually just before some big event when its ever-so-important for you to look your best. If you’re looking for the medical definition, then, acne or acne vulgaris (it figures it would be called that, right?) is an inflammatory skin disease which is marked (no pun intended) by papules, pustules (doesn’t that sound nasty) and comedones.

There are two different classifications, non-inflammatory, which as you might imagine is less severe and inflammatory acne. Within these two classifications are several different types.

The non-inflammatory classification includes the bad old-fashioned blackheads and whiteheads. With a blackhead your hair follicle remains open, yet the oil blocks the pore and it fills with debris which oxidises, hence the black colour. A whitehead is similar, except that the pore is closed, so there’s no oxidisation of the debris within. Both of these types of skin eructation may be minor, or may be a precursor to true acne.

Then you’ve got your inflammatory acne, which can be significantly more problematic. The problem lies with bacteria, the result generally an inflammation that swells, or becomes red and inflamed. Within the inflammatory acne category, there are three primary types, with increasing degrees of severity: papules (relatively mild, and with no pus), pustules (more severe, inflamed, pus often apparent) and cysts or nodules (big, painful to the touch, generally red and inflamed with pus).

Acne does not happen only to teenagers; even babies can develop infant acne (note to mom, hand’s off – it will clear up on its own). No, acne is not particular whom it assaults, middle-aged men and women – long past puberty are often susceptible to outbreaks. Acne is the number one reason why adults consult a dermatologist.

Fortunately, for most adults, acne is no more than an annoyance, easily treated at home using a basic common sense cleansing regimen. For others, however, it is more than an annoyance; it is humiliating and distressing, to say the least. For these adults, no amount of washing or usage of over-the-counter product will improve their skin’s look. The good news is they have options available to them, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and light or laser therapy, to name a few.

If you’re here asking yourself what is acne and wondering what are the different types of acne so that you can identify it in yourself, then a consultation with a skin care specialist can give you some advice, direction and hope.