Some types of acne are caused by infections in the skin and will therefore require more aggressive treatment. According to WebMD, there are five different types of teenage acne, the last two of which are harder to manage with only over-the-counter or home remedies.
- Comedones: This type of acne consists mostly of what are commonly known as whiteheads and blackheads and is noninflammatory. The blemishes are caused by clogged pores and only turn into inflamed pimples if bacteria gets in.
- Papules: This type of acne consists of tender, red bumps that are formed when a clogged pore becomes overfilled with debris. A papule doesn't contain pus, but can often progress to that point.
- Pustules: This is what most people think of when they think of pimples: "red, inflamed bumps with a white top." They sit on the top of the skin.
- Nodules: Nodule acne is a more severe form of acne. It presents are large, solid, painful lesions deep within the skin.
- Cystic: Cystic acne, too, is a severe form of acne and the one most likely to lead to scarring. It also presents itself as painful lesions deep in the skin, but unlike nodules, they are not solid and are filled with infectious material.
