Mild forms of Acne. Acne Vulgaris and Herbal Treatment of Acne

Types of Acne:

Regardless of the different types of acne or the number of forms Acne can take, all acne begins with the same basic lesion - The Comedo

The comedo is not visible to the human eye, instead it sits beneath the surface of the skin. In its simplest terms a comedo is an enlarged hair follicle which is blocked with oil and bacteria. As your skin produces more oil the bacteria flourishes within the swollen follicle. As a result, the skin surrounding the swollen follicle becomes increasingly inflamed due to your white blood cells grouping in the affected area to fight against the intruders.

The different variations of acne can range in severity from mild to severely disfiguring. There are a number of products for the natural treatment of acne or the herbal treatment of acne.

Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne and can range from mild to moderate to severe. Acne Vulgaris lesions include:

Whiteheads
Blackheads
Papules
Pustules
Nodules
Cysts

Acne Vulgaris – Mild/Moderate:

Whiteheads
 
Whiteheads form when a pore is completely blocked thereby trapping sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria. This mixture causes a white appearance on the surface of the skin as the blocked follicle stays just below the surface of the skin.

Whiteheads are usually quicker in life cycle than blackheads.

Blackheads
 
Blackheads form when a pore is partially blocked. This allows some of the trapped sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria to move to the surface of the skin. Blackheads are also known as an open comedo as it has pushed through the surface of the skin. The colour of the blackhead is due to a reaction between melanin (the skins pigment) and oxygen in the air.

Papules

A Papule is a red, inflamed lesion on the surface of the skin. It is often characterized by a red, tender bump with no head as it does not contain pus.

A papule is considered to be the mildest form of inflammatory acne and they are often viewed as an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions. Papules are caused by a break in the follicle wall. This allows bacteria and cellular debris to flow into the dermis. On many occasions a papule will progress and become a pustule.

Also remember to not squeeze a papule as it should heal quickly and without scarring. Squeezing it could worsen the breakout.

Pustules
A pustule is very similar to a papule in that it is a small lesion and appears as a red circle with a discoloured center, usually yellow or white. The only difference between a papule and a pustule is that the pustule contains pus and is inflamed.

The inflammation is most often caused by fatty free acids. Do not squeeze or pop a pustule.