ACNE 101 - THE DISEASE.

Various stages of acne

As the disease progresses, the severity of acne varies. Closed comedos (whiteheads) and open comedos (blackheads) are considered non-inflammatory lesions, while papules, pustules and cysts are inflammatory lesions. Acne can be graded on the following scale:

- Grade 0: total absence of lesions
- Grade 1 Sub-Clinical Acne: few comedones visible only in close examination
- Grade 2 Comedonal Acne: comedones with slight inflamation
- Grade 3 Mild Acne: inflamed papules with erythema
- Grade 4 Moderate Acne: many inflamed papules and pustules
- Grade 5 severe Nodular Acne: inflamed papules and pustules with severe deep nodular lesions
- Grade 6 Severe Cystic Acne: many nodular cystic lesions with scarring