What Is Acne?

Acne is a very basic term for a rather embarrassing skin condition that provides a lot of pain and discomfort in many ways for the millions of people that are unlucky enough to suffer from it. Acne is basically when the pores of the skin become plugged, if you like, and can occur on the face, which is one of the most common places that it can arise as well as other parts of the body such as the shoulders, neck and also the back.

There are many age groups that will suffer from acne although for the most part it is something that happens during puberty and is grown out of. For the unlucky people however, it can carry on through into adult life and cause much discomfort.
One of the most common factors that cause acne is hormonal changes within the body. However, excess oil that clogs up the pores can also cause it and the bad news is that it can cause permanent scarring which is very difficult and sometimes impossible to get rid of. There are four main words that you may have heard that are closely appreciated with acne; Pimples, cysts, blackheads and whiteheads. These are all different types of spots which can accumulate and make up acne but they all have one thing in common – excess oil and dirt that clogs up the pores and causes pus filled sacs which then turn white, red or black depending on the type that is causing it. The majority of the places in which acne occurs are the areas in which oil production is at its highest. This is why the face, back and neck are the most susceptible places as they have more oil glands than other areas of the body.