The small pimple on your face is what you actually recognize as acne. To be more specific this is actually a type of acne and not acne as a whole. Acne can take severe shape in the form of pus filled cysts, nodules and further turn into serious scars. Acne scars are not only ugly looking but also very painful and can damage your skin badly. They are also infectious in nature.
Inflammation determines severity
Tiny blackheads generally don't have any itching sensation. But gradually when the pimples grow bigger, inflammation also rises along with it. The size of acne is definitely important to tell you how serious is the problem but the sense of inflammation makes it more prominent. Acne scars are very much inflammable than the tiny pimples. So inflammation is a key parameter to determine the severity of the trouble.
Primarily known as microcomedo
Though we know that the blackhead is the first stage of acne growth, we are wrong. There is a microscopic stage of acne as well and that is known as microcomedo. Naked eyes and through the feel of the fingers you can't make out the growth of microcomedo because neither it gets a solid and visible shape nor there is any type of inflammation. The microcomedo only takes the shape of a blackhead and thereby pimple at a later stage.
Second stage: Pustules
From microcomedo to the blackhead is the first transforming stage. Till the blackhead takes the bumpy round or oval shape and become red in color, there is a stage in between and that is known as pustules. This is also a type of pimple but the color is yellowish and pustules have pus formed inside it and if you give a slight pinch or squeeze it you can observe pus coming out.
Reddish pimples: Papules
The pimples take a reddish shape are actually pustules forming papules. The shape is normally round and the size is definitely bigger than that of pustules. Papules are marked by strong sense of inflammation.
Growth of cysts
Cysts are on of the most severe types of acnes. They further take the shape of nodules and turn into some sac type structure and totally filled with pus. Cysts and nodules are highly infectious in nature and bacterial reactions cannot be prohibited without proper medication and care. Inflammation increases and worsens the situation and you might be unable to bear the pain at times. So before things take such ugly shape you must consult a doctor and take necessary remedial measures to inhibit the growth of acnes.