What Acne Grade Am I?
The face plays a central role in the body’s image. The psychological ramifications of acne can have a great impact on an individual’s performance at school or work, as well as quality of life. Do not be deceived into thinking that acne requires little or no treatment. Due to its common characteristics, waiting to outgrow acne can be a serious mistake!
Grade 1
BLACKHEADS // (non-inflammatory)
Mildest form of acne that consists mainly of blackheads & whiteheads.
Grade 2
WHITEHEADS // (non-inflammatory)
Resistive lesions trapping follicular materials with myriads of plugged follicles.
Grade 3
Inflamed acne papules and pustules with other milder stages of non-inflamed lesions.
Grade 3 Acne SystemGrade 4
Inflammatory acne lesions, blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.
Grade 4 Acne System
Why You Might Have Acne
Hormonal
Acne begins at puberty with a spike in Testosterone, regardless of sex. This hormone makes the follicles grow larger, increase in sebum production, leading to more clogged pores.
Infectious
Propionibacterium acnes is an anaerobic bacteria that loves to live in oil. Once your pores are clogged, this bacteria thrives and becomes the major culprit in causing progression of acne.
Genetic
Acne tends to run in the family. Therefore, a family history of acne usually results in early onset of acne in children.
Two Major Types of Acne
Non-Inflammatory: The follicular wall is intact.
- White Heads: Tiny white spots caused by trapped sebum (oil) and bacteria. Usually, invisible to the naked eye, but feel rough to the touch.
- Black Heads: Occur when the pore opens to the surface, sebum is released to the skin, which contains the skin pigment melanin, oxidizes and turns black/brown color. This is not dirt, which can easily be washed away.
Inflammatory: Follicular wall has ruptured! This leads to redness, pimple popping, and ultimately scarring!
- Papule: This is the early stages of inflammatory acne, when white blood cells rush in to the injured follicle.
- Pustule: “The Zit”- This occurs several days after when the white blood cells make their way to the surface of the skin.