When most people try and imagine a person with acne, they just generalize and think of someone with spots. Benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment is by far the best type of option to consider if you want to be free of these kinds of breakouts, but are you aware of just how many types of acne there are?
Well, there are seven distinct types that you need to be aware of so that you can know what to look out for – as acne can change over time, particularly as you get older. In this article, we analyze these seven types to give you a fighting chance of overcoming them.
There Are 7 Types & Benzoyl Peroxide For Acne Treatment Helps With Most
The word ‘acne’ comes from the Greek word ‘Acme’, which interestingly means ‘eruption of the face‘. Now, this is a description that fits most types of breakouts that benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment is designed for, but not all. Let’s dive in and see why.
Type #1 – Whiteheads – referred to as ‘closed comedones’, whiteheads are perhaps the most prevalent form of acne spots, and they manifest as small-to-medium sized bumps that are typically either white in color or the same shade as your skin.
They happen when a pore (also known as a hair follicle) is blocked by dirt, excess skin oil and dead skin. After being clogged, that pore is then covered by skin, and all that muck inside turns to pus – hence the reason whiteheads are the color they are.
Type #2 – Blackheads – also known as ‘closed comedones’, blackheads have a dark appearance, and they’re again caused by blocked bores. This type, however, is open to the air (so no skin over the top), and after they become exposed to the outside air, they turn black.
Blackheads are not an indication of dirt, as it’s just oxidized skin and oil. This type is known to be non-inflammatory.
Type #3 – Papules – presenting as swollen, reddish bumps on the skin, papules are what most people consider to be normal zits. After the pore becomes clogged and swells, it causes pressure to build up and the pore’s walls to rupture.
Type #4 – Pustules – when your papules fill with pus after being confronted by your immune system, these bumps get a yellow or white top to them – but you shouldn’t confuse them with whiteheads. Whiteheads are non-inflammatory, so there should be no redness involved.
Type #5 – Nodules – this is the point when benzoyl peroxide starts to become less effective as nodules start developing deeper under the skin. You can’t pop them, and they often exist too far down for BP washes to be effective. Nodules have no head and can feel very painful when you touch them.
Type #6 – Cysts – another acne type that exists deep under the skin are cysts. This is a severe type that, again, BP washes can’t really deal with. They’re too deep. They’re very sore and painful – especially when they appear along the jawline.
Type #7 – Milia – lastly, we have Milia, which is actually deemed to be a different type of skin condition. They’re very small bumps that exist around the nose, and they happen due to keratin deposits. This type will typically be eliminated with a good skincare routine.
Knowing When to Use Benzoyl Peroxide For Acne Treatment
BP washes can be very effective when used correctly, but they won’t work on nodules and cysts, as they’re simply too far under the skin. So, if you identify them as such, don’t be wasting your BP products, as they’re not going to give you the results you need.
Save it for all those other types that are eliminated slowly and methodically by what is known to be an extremely good way to get rid of acne.
