Not only is acne a skin problem that teenagers are likely to suffer from but there are a number of adults who will suffer from it also. The main reason why a person has acne is that their body is producing too much oil and which then causes the pores on their skin to become blocked. If left untreated not only does it look unsightly but also in some of the more severe cases can lead to permanent damage (scarring) to a person’s skin. In this article we look at the main acne signs and symptoms.

In most cases the main area on which the acne is likely to appear is a person’s face. However, in some cases it can also appear on their neck, chest, back or shoulders also because these areas also have glands, which are able to produce sebum. But when it comes to identifying if you have acne or not you should be looking for the following.

1. White heads and Black heads also known in medical terms as Comedones that are produced when the hair follicle openings become blocked with the oil and dead skin cells. Plus in some cases there may well be bacteria encased in these blocked openings also.

2. The next sign that a person may have acne is that spots have appeared on the skin’s surfaces, which are known as Papules. These will appear as small raised bumps on the skin’s surface and will be formed around the hair follicles. But unlike the Comedones these can become infected and inflamed and will often be red in color and are tender to touch.

3. Another form of acne that some people may get is pustules that are very similar to Papules but will have a white tip, which contains pus. This pus is made up of bacteria which if allowed to come into contact of other areas of skin can cause further eruptions of acne.

4. Nodules are much larger and solid lumps that are found beneath the surface of the skin and are very painful. These are actually caused because the oil has been able to build up deep inside the hair follicle.

5. Whilst the final sign that you may be suffering from acne is a form of spot, which looks very similar to the Nodules. But as with the Pustules it contains pus that if allowed to come into contact other areas of a person’s skin can cause further eruptions of the problem. Also if these Cysts are left untreated they can actually scarring to the skin, which can be permanent in some cases.

The biggest problem a person faces with these signs and symptoms of acne is that if any are allowed to rupture they can actually lead to the infection and inflammation spreading to other areas of skin surrounding them. Therefore it is important that a person suffering from any of the acne signs and symptoms above should seek medical advice from their doctor as soon as possible. Simply because they may actually find that they have some other underlying medical condition that is causing them to suffer from this particular kind of skin condition.