How do I know which type of acne I have?
Acne can take on different forms depending on its severity and the age, life stage and lifestyle of the afflicted person. It’s important to identify which type of acne you suffer from so that you can treat it accordingly day after day.
Comedonal acne, also known as retentional acne, is the least severe type. It can be identified by the presence of blackheads, whiteheads and dilated pores in the face’s T-zone.
Inflammatory acne is the most widely known type and typically occurs in adults. It causes blackheads, whiteheads and pimples, papules and pustules of varying redness and discomfort, all of which can appear on the face, neckline, shoulders and back.
Cystic acne, or nodular acne, is a more serious type that produces nodules and cysts (small, hard growths) under the skin, which can lead to marks and scars of varying depth.
Hormonal acne is caused by unbalanced hormone levels, which may be due to puberty, menstruation or pregnancy. This type is characterized by pimples.
Acne conglobata, or conglobate acne, is a rarer type that triggers all acne symptoms on the face, chest and back. It tends to cause scars of varying severity.
Learn more about each acne type.