If you’re reading this, you probably have acne. Most people suffer from it at one time or another, so—while we suspect you’d probably rather not be here—it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. In fact, 32% of people aged 21-50 have pimples .
But what is acne? What are the different ways it might look and feel on your skin? When might you find you’re most in danger of a breakout?
And how can you effectively clear your acne and leave your skin feeling more like itself again (hint: we’ve got some pimple patches you might want to take a closer look at)? But more on that later…
What is acne?
Acne is a skin condition that causes spots and pimples of various types, which can leave skin oily and feeling uncomfortable—even painful.
It usually appears on your face but can also appear elsewhere on your body, often on your back and your chest.
It’s common – so rest assured you are not alone in having it, but it can really affect your self-esteem and mental wellbeing. In fact, over half (54%) of UK adults who have suffered from acne say it’s affected their self-confidence.
What causes acne?
Now, let’s delve into the science. On a basic level, acne strikes when your hair follicles—tiny little holes in your skin that hairs grow from—become blocked by a mixture of sebum (an oily substance that lubricates your skin) and dead skin cells.
If your sebaceous glands (the glands that make the sebum) make too much, then your hair follicles are more likely to get blocked.
All of us have bacteria living on our skin—we know, grim right—but normally these don’t cause us any issues. Unfortunately, if you’ve got blocked hair follicles, these bacteria can infect them, causing several types of spots and pimples that we’d recognise as acne.
What are the different types of spots and pimples I might see?
According to the NHS, there are six main types of spots caused by acne.
First up, it’s blackheads, which look like small black or yellowish bumps. Fun fact—these are black because the inner lining of the hair follicle produces colour, not because they have dirt in them! You might also get whiteheads, which look a bit like blackheads (only white).
Next, let us introduce you to papules. These present themselves as small red bumps that may feel sore or tender to the touch. They’re quite like pustules—but the latter have a build-up of pus in the centre, creating the white tip that some people might traditionally think of when they think of a spot or a pimple.
Finally, let’s talk about nodules and cysts. Nodules are large hard (and often painful) lumps that build up under the surface of your skin, while cysts, which the NHS describes as the most severe type of spot caused by acne, are also large lumps, filled with pus.
Cysts carry the greatest risk of scarring—so it’s important (like with all spots or pimples) not to pick, pop or squeeze them. Hero Pimple Patches work well on breakouts that are close to the surface of the skin—and they love pus—so it’s always worth having a pack to hand just in case. As we say all the time round here, ‘Don’t pop it, Patch it!”
What are the biggest causes of acne breakouts?
One of the biggest causes of acne breakout is hormones. While hormonal changes during puberty are a big factor in teenage acne, adults can suffer from acne too—especially women around their periods, and during pregnancy and perimenopause.
Other triggers for a breakout, according to our dermatologist expert Dr Sonia Khorana can include hair products, medicines, gym supplements, stress, genetics, and eating a diet with a lot of high glycaemic index foods.
Dr Sonia says: ‘It is quite common to see acne persist into adulthood. Adult acne can present with more inflammatory, red papules and sometimes fewer blackheads or whiteheads compared with adolescent acne.
‘It usually affects the lower face, particularly the jawline and chin, the area below the jawline, the neck, and sometimes the chest.”
What can I do to minimise my chances of having a breakout?
Sometimes acne just happens—however much you take care of your skin—but there are things you can do to try and reduce your risk of a breakout.
These include:
- Not washing your face too often. While it might sound a bit counter-intuitive, it can strip the natural oils from your skin and make your acne worse.
- Using lukewarm water and/or a mild cleanser to wash your face (water that’s either really cold or really hot can make acne worse).
- Removing your make-up properly if you wear it and try to use water-based products when you can.
- Avoid picking, popping, or squeezing your spots, as this can cause infection and scarring. Instead, use Hero Pimple Patches to treat and protect your skin while they heal!