Acne

For a lay person:

Acne is a common skin condition in which hair follicles become blocked with oil and dead skin, causing blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and sometimes deeper, painful cysts. It mostly affects the face, chest and back, and is most common in teenagers but often continues into adulthood.

For a trained medical person:

A chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit driven by androgen-stimulated sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinisation, Cutibacterium acnes and inflammation. Treatment is graded by severity: topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and topical antibiotics, then oral antibiotics, hormonal therapy or isotretinoin for severe or scarring disease.

In Chinese medicine:

Flaws and Sionneau's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Lung channel wind heat; Intestine and stomach damp heat; Blood Stasis; Heat toxins; Spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness; Yin deficiency-fire effulgence. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: See a doctor for painful cystic acne, acne that is scarring, or acne that is affecting your mood or self-esteem.