The first and foremost thing in treatment of acne is correct diagnosis. A mild case might not require a visit to the physician while a severe case is best handled by a professional medical practitioner. A physical examination along with medical history and factors such as symptoms, duration, severity, etc. would be required for diagnosis of the severity of condition. Consulting a dermatologist would be advisable if the condition is acute.
When your hormones work overtime like during the teens, sporadic occurrence of pimples and blackheads are common. Mostly these can be attributed to improper hygiene, dietary habits and stress associated with growing up. Acne does not have any specific cause and hence self diagnosis can prove to be tricky. An accustomed eye can identify it by redness of skin, scattered white heads and black heads, itching and inflammation around the area.
Types Of Acne
Acne is medically divided into four types. The first type is the mildest form and includes blackheads with brown or black comedones which are open, white heads with closed comedones and hard closed comedones with whitehead called milia. There may be pimples occurring along with these but inflammation is conspicuous by its absence.
The second type is of moderate severity and shows itself with the presence of numerous whiteheads and blackheads. Papules are small red bumps without pus and pustules are whiteheads with pus, both of which are characteristic of this type of acne along with slight inflammation.
Third type of acne varies from moderate to severe and is characterized by increased inflammation, greater number of pimples, and frequent appearance of nodules which are acne lesions with painful hard lump beneath skin.
The most severe case of acne is the fourth type which is characterized by numerous pustules, nodules, and cysts. Blackheads and whiteheads are many in number and there is redness of skin accompanied with inflammation. This type of acne is not confined to the face alone and in majority of cases is seen to spread to other parts of body. Acne is largely found on areas of the body where there is a higher concentration of sebaceous glands. These include the back, neck, face, upper arms, chest, and shoulder.
Treatment
The main course of treatments for acne varies according to its severity. Mild forms can be avoided by maintaining proper hygiene and avoiding facial creams and make up which can trigger the condition. Washing face often and keeping it free from oil and dust can help a great deal in containing the condition. Dermatological creams and medication has to be sought in case of moderate to severe cases of acne. Detection of the root cause can be done through blood tests and stool tests to test for yeast growth, hormonal problems, and even food allergy. Once diagnosed, acne treatment can take a couple of months to start showing its effect.