How to Treat Different Types of Acne

Many adults out there know that growing up doesn’t mean you outgrow breakouts. Skincare problems don't just go away. As great as it would be to leave pimples behind forever when you get out of your teen years, you can have acne at any age. 

Finding the right treatments can clear breakouts up faster. A good acne-fighting skincare routine can help keep pimples at bay. Keep reading to learn about the different types of acne, how to treat it and, best of all, how to prevent it. 

What Is Acne?

Most skin breakouts fall under the aptly named condition known as “acne vulgaris,” which means “common acne" and can be thought of as traditional acne.

It’s an inflammatory condition that causes skin lesions of varying degrees of severity, from a single zit to a fungal acne breakout. You can develop acne on your face, neck, chest, back, or shoulders. People of all skin tones and skin types can get acne, and breakouts can happen at any age. 

The root cause of acne lesions, better known as pimples, is hair follicles that get clogged. Normally, hair follicles have open pores on top where hair grows. 

These openings also let natural oils and dead skin cells rise to the surface so they can be removed from the skin. Acne occurs when the hair, oils, and dead skin cells clump together in the follicle and don’t come out through the pore - they clog pores. This is part of why non-comedogenic products are best, especially for guys with oily skin.

All that trapped oil and gunk creates the perfect setting for bacteria to flourish. These tiny pockets of excess bacteria trigger an immune reaction, causing the red, swollen, and painful bumps we know as pimples.  

Acne Treatments

Treating acne often requires a combination of products. Face washes with gentle exfoliants promote cell turnover and help unclog pores. Products that contain ingredients to heal inflammation and help skin recover from breakouts calm the skin and reduce redness. 

Our acne-fighting products include known acne-fighters such as:

• Salicylic Acid: Salicylic acid is a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) for gentle, chemical exfoliation. It can unclog pores to clear up acne and prevent future breakouts. 
• Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil has natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It can reduce irritation and clear away bacteria that cause breakouts.  
• Willow Bark Extract: Willow bark is another anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredient. It’s gentle and helps with treating acne and other skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea.
• Witch Hazel: This ingredient is commonly used in toners because it’s so good at removing oil and bacteria from skin. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory effects to soothe irritated skin. 
• Green Tea: Green tea is high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and prevent breakouts.  

Don't forget to check the ingredient list before trying a new product for traditional acne. It's important to manage sebum production from the sebaceous glands with a non-irritating facial cleanser instead of heavy skincare products.

Types of Acne and How to Treat Them

Not all acne is created equal. Some breakouts are more severe than others - there's traditional acne, hormonal acne, fungal acne... lots of different kinds. The main difference is how deep the acne is below the skin, which affects how inflamed lesions become and how challenging they are to treat. 

Doctors have developed a grading scale to describe the severity and type of acne lesions you’re experiencing. 

Grade 1: Comedonal Acne

Comedonal acne is technically different from more serious types because it doesn’t involve redness, tenderness, or inflammation. Instead, this kind of breakout results in small bumps called comedones. 

There are two types of comedone:

• Closed comedone: Closed comedones, also known as whiteheads, are small plugged follicles. The trapped material makes a small bump that is the same color as your skin. 
• Open comedone: Open comedones, also called blackheads, are also plugged follicles, but there is a small opening in the skin at the top. The material in the comedone oxidizes when exposed to air, which darkens it.  The result is a small black, brown, or grey “head” on the bump.

How to Treat Comedonal Acne

The goal with comedonal acne is to encourage skin cell turnover so follicles can get unclogged. Salicylic acid is a go-to ingredient for comedonal acne, thanks to its exfoliating properties. You can directly apply a salicylic gel like our Acne Controlling Spot Treatment when comedones appear. Use a face wash with salicylic acid regularly to dissolve dead skin cells and prevent future breakouts. Try our Acne Controlling Face Wash and follow up with our Balancing Facial Toner with witch hazel to clear away oil and dead skin cells. 

Grade 2: Inflammatory Acne

Inflammatory acne develops when bacteria grow in a clogged follicle and affect the surrounding skin. You will notice raised bumps called papules that are reddened or darkened, painful, and may feel warm to the touch. Papules are swollen and sore, but do not have a visible head.

Treating Inflammatory Acne

You can treat papules with ingredients like salicylic acid to promote cell turnover and reduce pore clogging. Try our Acne Controlling Face Wash and Acne Controlling Face Moisturizer, which contain salicylic acid to treat blemishes, along with tea tree oil and willow bark extract to soothe inflammation and heal irritated skin. 

Grade 3: Pustules

Pustules are basically papules that have pus in them. Pus is a whitish or yellowish substance that develops when white blood cells break down while fighting an infection. Pustules are red or dark bumps with a white head where pus is visible beneath the skin. 

Treating Pustules:

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that you shouldn’t pop or pick at pustules, or any pimples. That can make them worse and lead to serious infections and scarring. 

Instead, you can soothe angry pustules with ingredients like tea tree oil and willow bark extract. These ingredients have antimicrobial properties that can help address bacteria that cause swelling and redness.  Acne Controlling Face Wash and Acne Controlling Face Moisturizer give you both ingredients to soothe and help heal pustules. 

Grade 4: Nodulocystic Acne

When acne occurs deep under the skin, it can cause painful cysts or nodules. These are large bumps that are often very painful, swollen, and red. Nodules are hard to the touch, whereas cysts are pus-filled, so they are softer. Cysts can rupture and spread the infection to surrounding skin. 

Treating Nodulocystic Acne

Nodular and cystic acne can be difficult to treat. Our Acne Controlling System takes a comprehensive approach with our Acne Controlling Face Wash, Acne Controlling Face Moisturizer, and Acne Controlling Spot Treatment to treat pimples, and our Clearing Scar Cream to reduce the signs of acne after breakouts heal. 

You may also need to talk to a dermatologist about prescription-strength products or cortisone injections to heal problem cysts and nodules quickly. 

Fungal Acne

Fungal acne isn’t actually acne, though it also causes raised, discolored skin lesions. It’s a type of infection in the hair follicle caused by a build-up of yeast. 

Yeast is a microorganism that lives on the skin and doesn’t usually cause any issues. However, when it gets overgrown in hair follicles, it can cause clusters of raised, itchy bumps. 

Fungal acne can appear on your face, chest, neck, upper arms, shoulders, and upper back. 

Unlike acne vulgaris, fungal acne doesn’t respond to traditional acne treatments that promote cell turnover or target bacteria. You need to treat it with antifungal medications and antifungal products that contain ingredients such as econazole, ketoconazole, or selenium sulfide.

If you have a breakout that’s itchy and doesn’t get better with your usual anti-acne routine, call your dermatologist and ask about the possibility of it being fungal acne. They can confirm a fungal acne diagnosis and give you a treatment plan, which may include over-the-counter antifungal products, anti-fungal sprays, lifestyle changes, anti-fungal medications, topical anti-fungal cream, anti-fungal balm, and oral anti-fungal medication.

FAQs

What are the underlying causes of acne?

There are a lot of things that can affect your likelihood of breakouts. Stress, certain medications, and a family history of acne are all factors that can cause frequent breakouts. High humidity, sweating, wearing tight-fitting clothes for workouts, and using heavy or oily skincare products can increase the risk of clogged pores. In the case of fungal acne, an infection of the pores and yeast overgrowth are the cause.

Should I use moisturizer if I have acne? Or will it clog my pores?

You should use moisturizer, even if you’re having a breakout. Washing your face strips the natural oil from the skin. If you don’t moisturize, your skin may respond by producing more oil. That increased oil production can lead to more clogged follicles and more pimples. 

Try a gentle moisturizer that’s formulated without oils to avoid clogging pores. 

Should I pop pimples?

Despite the popularity of pimple-popping videos, you should not pop or pick at acne. You can push oil and bacteria further under your skin, which makes pimples worse. You can also increase the risk of serious infection. This can cause scarring or hyperpigmentation on your skin, whether you have fungal acne or a different type.

When should I see a doctor about acne?

If breakouts don’t get better with lifestyle changes, a consistent acne-fighting skincare routine, and over-the-counter spot treatments, you may want to talk to a dermatologist. They can prescribe stronger topical treatments to heal blemishes or suggest an oral acne treatment like Accutane. 

If you have large, painful cysts, your dermatologist can inject them with corticosteroids. This will bring down swelling and reduce pain quickly. 

A doctor can also assist you with fungal acne, which requires specific antifungal treatments due to being caused by an overgrowth of yeast.

Why do I get dark spots after pimples heal? 

The dark spot that shows up after a pimple deflates is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It happens when your skin produces extra melanin after it’s been inflamed or irritated. It can happen to anyone, but it’s most common in people with darker skin tones. The spots will usually fade with time, but you may be able to speed up the process. Products that contain Vitamin C and antioxidants, like our Acne Scar Cream, can help skin repair itself after breakouts.