LITERATURE STUDY  

2.3 TYPES OF ACNE

According to Fulton (2002:96) dermatologists have classified the phenomenon of acne into different grades. The higher the grade, the more severe the acne and the greater the need for an intervention by a dermatologist.

The different grades are:

Grade I: blackheads or open comedones 

Grade II: whiteheads or closed comedones 

Grade III: inflammatory pustules or papules also known as nodular acne 

Grade IV: cystic inflammatory acne 

A closed comedo or whitehead refers to a plugged follicle that stays beneath the skin and continues to grow. A comedo that reaches the surface of the skin and opens is called a blackhead and looks black on the skin’s surface. This is due to a process called oxidation, in which air and the oils and the proteins in the skin all affect each other and cause the follicle to discolour (Day 2005:8).

Inflammatory acne consists of lesions such as papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. Papules are inflamed lesions that usually appear as pink bumps on the skin that are sensitive to touch. Pustules are papules that have developed pus and may be red at the base. Nodules are large painful and solid lesions that are lodged deep within the skin. This kind of lesion can last for many months and leave behind scars. Cysts are generally regarded as a severe form of nodular acne and are not very commonly found in acne sufferers. These kinds of nodules can cause substantial disfigurement (Day2005: 12).