Are All Spots The Same?
Acne is a disease of the sebaceous glands and some people are pre-disposed to suffering from it.
Some people will suffer because of their hormones and for others, we may never find the cause.
What we do know is that acne is not confined to our teenage years and it affects more than just our skin.
We take a look at the different types of acne spots.
There are six main types of spot that are caused by acne.
- Blackheads - small black or yellowish bumps that develop on the skin.
- Whiteheads - have a similar appearance to blackheads but they can be firmer and have a white centre.
- Papules - small red bumps that may feel tender or sore.
- Pustules - similar to papules but they have a white tip in the centre that is caused by a build-up of pus.
- Nodules - large hard lumps that build up beneath the surface of the skin and are usually painful.
- Cysts - the most serious type of spot caused by acne. They are large, pus-filled lumps that look similar to boils. Cysts carry the greatest risk of causing permanent scarring.
Sebaceous glands are tiny glands found near the surface of your skin. The glands are attached to hair follicles. 
The purpose of sebaceous glands is to lubricate the hair and the skin in order to stop it drying out. The glands do this by producing an oily substance called sebum. In acne, the glands begin to produce too much sebum. The excess sebum mixes with dead skin cells and both substances form a plug in the follicle.
If the plugged follicle is close to the surface of the skin, it will bulge outwards, creating a whitehead. Alternatively, the plugged follicle can be open to the skin, creating a blackhead.
Normally harmless bacteria that live on the skin can then contaminate and infect the plugged follicles, resulting in papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts.
www.nhs.uk
Acne most commonly develops on:
- the face: affecting 99% of all people with the condition
- the back: affecting 60% of all cases
- the chest: affecting 15% of all cases
Acne can scar and it is important that you do not pick and pop your spots. With certain types of acne, and acne spots, scarring is probably inevitable and whatever precautions you take you may only be able to minimise the damage.
The best option, if you have acne, is to see your GP as soon as possible and insist on a referral to a skin specialist, since it is their field of expertise.