What is Acne?
This skin disease, inflammatory or not, results in increased production of sebum and the appearance of red pimples, blackheads and cysts. Acne is a disease of the sebaceous hair follicle in which the sebaceous glands play a key role. The sebaceous glands exist in the skin, they produce sebum, a natural lubricant. When the epidermis lacks sebum, the skin feels tight, it is too dry. When there is too much sebum, the skin becomes oily and acne-prone. The bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes , which develops in the sebaceous glands, then tends to multiply strongly, transforming the sebum into a fatty acid that irritates the skin. In contact with the epidermis, an inflammation is created leading to the appearance of red and white pimples.
Excess sebum clogs the pores of the skin, these are blocked by an accumulation of cells which form a micro-comedone which will become the future acne pimple. The pimple can take different forms: comedone, blackhead or microcyst. Excess sebum is also called hyperseborrhoea. There are three forms of acne. The most common non-inflammatory acne results in the presence of blackheads or microcysts. When there is a superinfection, the acne is inflammatory and takes the form of papules and red pimples which can be painful, these pimples can then turn into pustules recognizable by their appearance of unsightly white pimples. More severe acne can lead to lesions such as nodules or nodular cysts, without appropriate treatment, the skin can retain sequelae and permanent scars. Acne-related pimples and lesions are most often located in areas richest in sebaceous glands such as the face, back, neck and chest.