Although many people are aware of acne and may or may not experience on a daily basis, there is actually several different types of acne. Each different type of acne produces different skin risks and overall health problems, some more serious than others. By learning about each specific acne condition you can be more aware of your own acne and the best ways it should be treated.

Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne today. The infections in the skin rise into pimples or blackheads and fill with pus. These pustules usually discharge white pus when squeezed or popped, which by the way only increased the skin's inflammation and makes your acne breakout that much worse. This type of acne is very common on the face, upper and lower back and neck.

Cystic acne is deeper infections of the skin that are quite literally cyst-like. These types of infections do not raise to the surface like acne vulgaris and do not discharge white pus when squeezed. This type of acne promotes very slow healing and a high possibility of scaring due to its incredibly deep infection of the pores.

Acne rosacea is of course the combination of acne and rosacea. Your rosacea should be diagnosed by a physician immediately as it caused redness of the skin, usually across the cheeks and nose. With these symptoms combined with acne you can see how this can cause more common flare-ups and very flaky and dry skin.

Folliculitis Barbae, or in-grown hairs looks like severe acne with pus filled pimples to the naked eye. This type of acne condition can be caused by coarse or curly beards following shaving and consequently causing infection.

Lastly, whiteheads and blackheads are caused by a combination of oils, sebum and cellular fragments. These become firm and therefore plug the hair follicles and then the pores themselves. Blackheads are open to the skin's surface and become black when exposed to oxygen. Whiteheads are deeper within the skin and therefore remain white with no exposure to oxygen through the skin's surface. When bacteria are added to these plugs, it will lead to large acne breakouts.

As you can see acne is not just one simple form of skin irritation, there are many different types of acne and corresponding, many different forms of treatment to be considered. The more serious the acne the more professional help is required. If you are suffering from a simple case of acne vulgaris then you have many different over the counter acne treatments to choose from.