Glossary and explanation of acne and pimples related terms

When you start searching for information on acne and pimples and the treatment thereof, you will run into a whole selection of words and terms which may at first be confusing - such as acne lesions, comedones, macules, papule, pustules, nodules, cysts and nodulocystic.

on this page Acne lesion Comedones Blackhead Whitehead Macule Papule Pustule Nodule Cyst Nodulocystic

In order to demystify this entire subject we have tried to make it as uncomplicated and straight forward as possible, and have on this page the explanations and information as listed above.

We trust that you will find the information below interesting and of help, and please look at the other pages listed below for more information on acne and the treatment thereof.

Acne lesion

Refers to the change in body tissue - due either by injury or disease - but in the case of acne, would refer to the change in the skin by the infection and inflammation of the sebaceous follicle.

Comedones

There are two types of comedones - open and closed.

An open comedo normally has a dark colored plug surface and is referred to in general terms as a blackhead.

A closed comedo does not have an opening, or has a very small opening, to the surface and is normally referred to as a whitehead. They are normally skin-colored and appear as a small bump on the skin.

A whitehead can be seen as the pre-cursor to acne problems and as Dr. R. Aron-Brunetiere puts it "They are the cause of acne pimples: indeed closed comedones and acne spots are so closely linked that one can safely say that acne cannot exist without them." ^{Reference 55}

Both a blackhead and a whitehead is a sebaceous gland plugged with sebum which also contains dead cells, hair and at times bacteria as well. Neither of them should be squeezed or picked at, since infection can occur which could lead to cysts and nodules.

These blackheads and whiteheads must either be removed by your dermatologist, or can also under certain conditions be removed by a trained beauty therapist.

Papule

A papule is a small solid lesion (5 mm or less) elevated above the surface of the skin and although sometimes nearly invisible, may be felt when touching the skin.

Pustule

A pustule is a pus containing dome shaped lesion with a fragile covering. The pus contains dead skin cells, white blood cells and bacteria. If a pustule does not develop into a cystic lesion in the deeper layers of the skin, it normally leaves no mark.

Macule

When an acne lesion has healed or is healing, it normally leaves a macule which is a flat reddish spot with a well defined border and can be present for days or several months.

Nodule

A nodule is a solid dome or irregular shaped lesion extending to the deeper layers of the skin and inflammation is present. Nodules can be painful and may cause tissue destruction leading to permanent scarring.

Cyst

This sac-like lesion is larger than a pustule, but also contains dead skin cells, white blood cells and bacteria. Its content can either be liquid or semi-liquid. Inflammation is normally present and it is generally painful and also extends into the deeper layers of the skin and may result in permanent scarring of the skin.

Nodulocystic

This refers to the presence of nodules and cysts appearing together on the skin, which is an extremely severe form of acne, and needs to be treated immediately as scarring will occur if left untreated.

Other information on acne and pimples

We have divided the pages dealing problem skin into various categories, which you can access by following the hyperlinks below.

• General information
• Age groups affected
• Terms used in acne
• Age groups affected by acne
• Prevention and treatment of acne scars
• Acne medication - over-the-counter and prescription
• Treating acne with Isotretinoin (Roaccutane / Accutane)
• Facts and myths about acne
• Social behavior and psychological effects of acne and pimples
• Where acne is found on the body