Types of Acne

The most common form of acne is called acne vulgaris. It is usually characterized as either "mild to moderate" or "severe", and it can be non-inflammatory, also known as "comedomes" (blackheads and whiteheads), or it can be inflammatory (such as raised pustules, papules or nodules).

Inflammatory Acne. Commonly referred to as pimples, blemishes, breakouts or zits, inflammatory acne is characterized by swollen, raised bumps called papules or pustules. ThermaClear was specifically developed to treat this type of commonly occurring acne.

Non-Inflammatory Acne/Comedomes. Non-inflammatory acne typically refers to blackheads and whiteheads.

	Papules are tender, red or pink inflamed bumps on the skin with no head. They occur when part of the hair follicle ruptures, white blood cells are stimulated and the pore becomes inflamed.
	Like papules, pustules are also characterized with inflamed pores. A reddish bump with a white or yellow center containing pus appears on the skin's surface.
	When a pore is clogged with dead skin cells, oil (sebum) and sometimes bacteria, it appears as a bump on the skin. When the blocked pore is closed and the trapped material stays below the surface of the skin, tiny white spots – whiteheads – form.
	Blackheads form in the same manner as whiteheads. However, when the pore remains slightly open, the blocked sebum that is exposed to the air oxidizes, causing the black appearance or what is called a "blackhead". The black material is not dirt, as is sometimes believed, and it cannot be washed off.

ThermaClear has not been tested in the treatment of whiteheads and blackheads; however, bear in mind that what many people mistakenly call a "whitehead" is, in reality, a pustule.

Severe Acne Vulgaris. Severe forms of acne vulgaris, including large, hard, painful bumps called nodules and large, painful pus-filled cysts can be difficult to treat. ThermaClear is not recommended for the treatment of severe acne vulgaris. If you are experiencing more severe forms of acne or are taking prescription medication for your acne, you should consult with a dermatologist for professional medical advice.

Other types of acne. If your acne symptoms do not resemble the descriptions above, you may have another form of acne such as acne rosacea, acne conglobata, acne fulminans, gram-negative folliculitis or pyoderma faciale. These forms of acne require professional diagnosis, advice and treatment by your dermatologist. The ThermaClear acne-clearing device should not be used to treat these kinds of acne.