For most teenagers, acne is the number one problem plaguing their lives. Not only does acne affect their looks, it impacts their self-esteem and even their social lives. Studies have shown that acne affects more than 90% of teens and follows many into adulthood. By your early to mid-twenties, acne should taper off and almost be diminished.

Acne can appear almost anywhere on the body, but the most common areas include the face, upper neck, back, check, shoulders, and legs. Many people have acne on their upper arms as well. Sadly, studies have shown that acne reduces the self-esteem in many, forcing them into depression and even suicide. Catching acne early and treating it quickly is the best way to keep it from becoming severe.

Acne occurs when a hair follicle is blocked. Since once square inch of skin is home to 65 hairs; the potential to have blocked hair follicles is great. No one really knows for sure why hair follicles get blocked, but when they do, it causes bacteria to grow beneath your skin. Blackheads and whiteheads are formed from bacteria. Acne actually begins to develop 2-3 weeks before you see it appear on the surface of the skin. You body naturally produces oil, called sebum. Sebum is produced to keep your skin soft and moist. Your body will shed old cells over time, and these cells are normally shed slowly. If your body sloughs off the dead cells unevenly, they can clump together and form a plug on the hair follicle and trap oil and bacteria inside. Your skin will begin to swell as the oil and bacteria grow. Since acne is an infection, your body will attempt to fight it with white blood cells.

There are several different types of acne, a blackhead and a whitehead may start out the same, but one can be treated while the other may take days or weeks to treat. Here are the different types of acne:

Non-Inflammatory Acne
Whiteheads and blackheads are considered non-inflammatory acne. A whitehead is formed when the sebum is trapped and combines with bacteria. The result will be a tiny white spot on the skin. For some people, whiteheads are so tiny that they are actually invisible to the naked eye.

Blackheads are not dirt (as many people tend to think). Blackheads will last longer than a whitehead because the contents inside take a longer time to drain. A blackhead occurs when the sebum combines with the bacteria and pushes through the surface of the skin. A blackhead will have a brownish/black color because it is buildup of the skin's dark pigment, melanin. These forms of acne are the easiest to treat. For some, soap and water can even treat these types of acne.

Inflammatory Acne
Inflammatory acne is generally tender to the touch and can even become quite painful for some. Inflammatory acne is classified into four groups: papule, pustule, nodule, and cyst.

A papule is the mildest form of inflammatory acne. It occurs when there is a break in the follicular wall. A papule will look like a small, pinkish bump on the skin. Your white blood cells rush to the break in the follicular wall and attempt to treat it. A papule is generally quite tender to touch and is considered an intermediary step from non-inflammatory acne to inflammatory acne.

Pustules are commonly referred to as zits or pimples. A pustule is a small round lesion that protrudes out from the surface of the skin because the white blood cells have pushed it to the surface. A pustule is visibly inflamed because it has a red base and a white or yellow center. Pustules actually do not have a lot of bacteria; instead they are filled with inflammation that is caused from chemicals like fatty free acids.

Nodules are generally large, painful bumps that are filled with pus. A nodule is lodged deep within the skin and forms when the contents of a hair follicle break along the bottom and the contents spill into surrounding skin. Your immune system responds to the infection by producing pus.

Cysts will happen when a pus-filled nodule doesn't break and lasts for weeks. Sometimes cysts will last for months and harden deep below your skins surface. A cyst will leave a deep scar on your skin, as will a nodule. Some severe forms of cysts actually have to be lanced by a medical professional.

When we are born, we have tiny white bumps all over our body. These small white bumps are called milia and tend to slough off within a few days or weeks. As teens and adults, milia can come back when the sloughed skin is trapped on the surface of the skin. Milia are mostly seen on the nose and upper cheeks. As an infant, milia will fade away, but for an adult, it could be indefinite.

Causes of Acne
Acne is caused by a number of factors including: hormones, sebum, follicles, bacteria, inflammation, and genetics. Unlike what many people want to believe, acne is not caused from the types of foods you eat, such as chocolate. Here are some of the common causes of acne:

• Genetics - For many individuals, acne runs in the family like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, or other things.
  
• Puberty - Teens tend to experience acne because their body is having hormonal changes. For females, their menstrual cycle causes more acne to develop. For males in puberty, the increase in male sex hormones will cause the glands to get larger and produce more sebum.
  
• Hormones - During puberty your body is producing hormones, called androgens. The androgens cause your sebaceous glands to enlarge, which is normal. Acne occurs when the sebaceous glands are over-stimulated.
  
• Sebum - Your body will naturally produce extra sebum when the sebaceous gland is stimulated. Sebum mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells as is travels up the follicle toward the skins' surface. Too much sebum can cause acne to occur as it gets clogged moving up the hair follicle.
  
• Follicles - Everyone sheds dead cells, but some people tend to shed dead cells more rapidly. For a person that sheds dead cells rapidly, they can form a plug on top of the follicle and cause a pimple.
  
• Bacteria - Our skin has bacteria in it as part of the natural balance of the sebum. When the follicle is plugged, this bacteria causes a chemical reaction to occur and the skin becomes inflamed and this causes acne.
  
• Inflammation - The body is built to fight of infection with white blood cells. When your body encounters bacteria in the follicles, it sends white blood cells to fight it, causing inflammation to occur. Inflammation will be painful for most people and will appear as red and swollen on the skin.
  
• Stress - Studies have shown that individuals under increased stress tend to have an increased output of hormones from the adrenal glands. The overactive adrenal glands cause acne to occur.
  
• Medications - For some people, medications will cause acne. Anabolic steroids, lithium, barbiturates, and androgens all cause acne to occur.
  

Acne Treatment
Unfortunately there is no cure for acne. The only thing you can do for acne is treat it. For most acne treatment methods to work, you need to expect results to begin after the first 2 weeks. Studies have found that for acne treatment programs to be successful, you need to give it 2 to 3 months. A short burst of cortisone can give you quick results, but it will not improve all the acne spots. Here are some of the most common types of acne treatment:

Topical bactericidal - This is the most common acne treatment method. It usually is a product that contains benzoyl peroxide and is used to treat mild or moderate acne. The user must rub a benzoyl peroxide cream on their acne spots twice a day. Many people purchase bar soap that contains benzoyl peroxide however this only produces 2% - 10% of strength compared to the cream. Studies have shown that users of benzoyl peroxide see a significant reduction in acne after 6 weeks of treatment. The downside to benzoyl peroxide is that is can cause the skin to dry out and can bleach anything it comes in contact with. It is best to purchase a benzoyl peroxide cream that includes a lotion to help the skin from over drying.

Topical & Oral antibiotics - A topical antibiotic is generally applied to infected areas and its primary goal is to kill the bacteria in the blocked follicle. Oral antibiotics come in a pill format and are absorbed into the skin through your stomach. The main goal of an oral antibiotic is to control the oil secretion of the body and control abnormal cell behavior. The downside to oral antibiotics is that they can cause the teeth to yellow and cause stomach problems in many people.

There are numerous other treatment methods and programs. If you have severe acne, it is best to discuss your situation with a dermatologist who can recommend acne treatment.