Acne (Acne Vulgaris):
A parent's guide to condition and treatment information

Acne most commonly occurs on the face, neck, chest, and back, where the most sebaceous glands are located.  "Blackheads" (open comedones) and "whiteheads" (closed comedones) are follicular plugs that are either sitting below the skin surface (whitehead) or oxidized from being exposed to the air (blackhead). Papules are small pink to reddish-brown bumps, pustules are pus-filled lesions, and nodules or cysts are deeper pus-filled lesions.

Mild acne consists of a few papules/pustules and/or comedones.  Moderate acne has an increased number of lesions. Severe acne has numerous comedones, papules, and pustules and may have painful nodules.

Acne can result in hyperpigmentation, which is dark red or brown flat marks where the acne lesions were, and permanent scars, which can appear to be depressions in the skin.