What is acne?

If you suffer from acne, you're not alone. Acne is a common skin condition, affecting several parts of the body. Most people are affected through their teenage years, as changing hormones cause imbalances, though acne can happen at any age with some people more affected than others.

Mild acne isn't anything more than a small and temporary inconvenience. More severe acne can lead to complications and might need professional treatment.

What is acne and why does it happen? Read on to find out more.

What is acne?

Simply, acne is a skin condition that's caused by a hormonal imbalance. The skin starts producing too much oil, blocking the pores and leading to inflammation.

Your skin has bacteria living on it, with the scientific name Cutibacterium acnes. This bacteria was formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes. When your skin gets too oily and greasy, this bacteria (usually harmless) also contributes to the problem. It can infect the blocked pores, leading to further complications.

Most people, especially in their teenage years, experience some level of acne. It can make for an uncomfortable few years hiding spots on the face. For a majority of sufferers, acne doesn't become a more severe issue. Once your hormones settle down, your skin will return to being smooth.

Are some people more likely than others to get acne?

Women are more likely to be impacted by acne than men. This is because of hormonal changes that happen through the menstrual cycle. Women are more likely to go through monthly flare-ups, even far beyond their teenage years.

Acne also runs in families. If one or more of your parents suffered with bad acne, you're also likely to have it. Your genetics play a part in your hormonal balance and the condition of your skin.

How many people are affected by acne?

Roughly 95% of people are affected by acne at some point. It's a very common skin condition that most people simply outgrow.

Acne typically starts around 15 years old, and can continue until your mid-20s. It often calms down then flares up again, rather than being consistent.

A very small number of people are affected by acne into adulthood. Most people are free from acne by their early 30s at the latest.

Where will acne occur?

Most people suffer from acne on their face, especially around the mouth and forehead. Roughly 50% of people with acne will also get some spots on their back. A smaller number, around 15%, will have acne spots on their chest.

What does acne look like?

Acne can come in many forms, and will usually include a combination of several different types of spots and rashes. You might have blackheads or whiteheads, which are common small spots that affect a majority of people.

More severe acne might lead to papules, which are raised red bumps on the skin. You might also have pustules, which are similar to papules but filled with a white liquid pus. Both of these will feel tender and sore.

Nodules are much larger lumps under the skin. These affect a smaller number of acne sufferers. If you have nodules, you're likely to experience some pain with your acne.

Finally, there are cysts. These large pus-filled lumps affect a minority of people, though they can lead to permanent scarring and craters in the surface of your skin.

How is acne diagnosed?

Acne doesn't require any specialist diagnostic techniques. Your GP will diagnose just by looking at your skin. The signs of acne are easy to see, so you don't need to get a formal diagnosis unless you need creams or other treatments.

If your acne isn't severe, you can simply speak to a pharmacist about any useful acne treatments. Further help is only needed for more severe skin conditions.

How should acne be treated?

In an effort to get rid of acne, many people use all sorts of lotions and creams. Many of these are counterintuitive, clogging the pores even more. If you're going to treat acne, use specialist creams from a pharmacy. This is far better than using general creams that might have perfumes or be too moisturising.

If you're affected by acne, avoid washing too often. Wash twice a day with a mild soap, but don't clean your skin more often. Cleaning your skin encourages your pores to create even more oil, so you'll want to avoid doing this too often and making your acne more severe.

If you can, avoid using makeup. It's tempting to want to cover acne spots, but this will only make them last longer. Makeup clogs the pores, so minimise use and make sure you wash it off every night.

More severe acne must be treated by professionals, reducing the risk of lasting scars.

Don't be tempted to squeeze or scratch your acne spots. This can lead to skin damage that may cause scarring or infection.

Women have one further trick up their sleeve. Hormonal balance can be affected by some types of birth control product. Some birth control will make acne worse, whilst others can improve the situation. If you're a woman with severe acne, speak to your GP about changing contraception to get your acne under control. If you're not already using contraception, you might be advised to start using the pill so that you can manage your acne.

Can medication affect acne?

If you're using medication for other conditions, this could lead to acne outbreaks. Drugs used to treat depression and epilepsy are particularly likely to affect you. Steroids can also lead to acne flare-ups.

Some types of hormonal birth control can cause acne to be more severe. Other types can be used to treat it. If you're using birth control, changing to a different type might affect your acne severity.

Is acne caused by any particular behaviour?

It's a common misconception that acne is worse in people that have dirty skin. Poor hygiene and a lack of cleaning aren't to blame for this skin condition. In fact, washing too often can make acne worse as it impacts the balance of the oils.

Acne isn't affected by your diet, so you don't need to change the way you eat. You can't develop acne from eating greasy food, or by consuming lots of chocolate. Those aren't good dietary habits, but they won't specifically lead to acne problems!

Is acne ever a sign of something else?

Typically, acne is a stand-alone condition and nothing to worry about. Most people get acne through their late teenage years and just need to wait for it to fade.

If an acne flare-up suddenly happens and you're an older adult, it's certainly worth a trip to your GP to check that there's no further concern. In adult women, sudden acne might be a sign of a hormonal imbalance caused by a condition like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).

In a vast majority of cases, acne's not a more severe problem. It simply needs the right type of treatment to avoid any risk of acne scars.

What are possible acne complications?

Most people with acne will feel a bit self-conscious until their spots fade and subside. Complications are rare, but made more likely if you don't treat your skin with extra care.

Acne scars can be very deep, like craters all over your skin. They can happen if you scratch your acne spots, or if larger spots burst.

There are several different treatments for acne complications, though these are all considered cosmetic. This means that these treatments aren't usually available with NHS funding. Acne scars don't cause further problems, so you might choose to live with the scars or to pay for acne scar treatment.

Once your acne has cleared up, and only scars are left, you might use makeup to cover them. It's fine to use makeup once the acne spots have gone, though makeup can make your acne much worse if you wear it whilst you still have signs of acne.