Spots can appear in both teenagers and adults. They can manifest on the face, but also on the body. These can be a source of discomfort. Discover in this article, the different types of spots.
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What are the different types of spots?
Summary
Published September 6, 2022,
updated on June 20, 2024,
by
Sandrine, Scientific Editor
—
6 min read
The various causes behind the occurrence of spots.
Before discussing the various types of spots, it is important to understand that there are different causes behind the formation of spots. Among these causes, we can mention:
Acne:
Acne is one of the main causes of spots. In France, millions of people are affected by acne. Due to the psychological distress it causes, it is the primary reason for dermatological consultations.
Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the pilosebaceous follicle.
Recap on the pilosebaceous follicle : this is the structure where hair originates. In the upper part of the pilosebaceous follicle, we find the sebaceous glands that secrete sebum.
In acne, the sebaceous glands produce sebum in excess: this is referred to as hyperseborrhea. Consequently, the sebum blocks the opening of the hair follicle, leading to the emergence of skin imperfections.Furthermore, in this fat-rich environment, a bacterium usually present in small quantities on the skin, Cutibacterium acnes, proliferates, triggering an inflammatory response on the skin's surface. This bacterium is also responsible for hyperkeratinisation of the skin (thickening of the skin), promoting the appearance of imperfections.
Acne being a disease multifactorial, numerous factors such as thediet or the hormonal fluctuations promote its appearance. Moreover, there are different types of acne (retentional, inflammatory etc).
Boils:
A boil is a bacterial infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus in the hair and sebaceous follicle. It can develop on the face, thighs, back, or even the buttocks.
The boil manifests itself through the emergence of a very painful red spot forming around a hair. Very quickly, it fills with pus and resembles a pustule. In the final stage, the boil bursts spontaneously or not, and the pus drains out. Healing generally takes around 2 weeks.
Chickenpox:
Chickenpox is a highly prevalent infectious disease caused by the virus varicella-zoster (VZV), which belongs to the herpesvirus group. This disease is responsible for the emergence of spots associated with itching and extra-cutaneous symptoms (fever).
Allergies:
Allergies can manifest themselves on the skin through the emergence of spots. These can occur as a result of an allergy to a food, a textile, or even a cosmetic product (cosmetic acne).
The various types of spots.
Closed comedones:
These are the most common manifestations of theretentional acne.
The closed comedones or microcysts result from a change in the quality of sebum (dysseborrhea) as well as an excessive production of sebum by the sebaceous glands (hyperseborrhea). Consequently, the sebum blocks the pores, forming a small white-looking lesion.
In the case of acne, microcysts can either disappear spontaneously or become inflamed. Therefore, it is crucial to act swiftly.
Please note : there are also open comedones, but these are not considered as spots. The open comedones or blackheads result from the same process as microcysts. When these blocked pores are open, oxidation occurs upon contact with air and the impurities trapped inside the pore darken, thus forming a blackhead.
Papules and Pustules:
These symptoms indicate thesuperficial skin inflammation.
The papules are inflammatory red bumps without pus that are less than 5 mm. They can be round or oval in shape and are often painful. These can disappear or develop into a pustule.
Unlike papules, pustules are characterised by the presence of pus. These are red spots with a white head containing pus.
Papules and pustules are potential manifestations ofinflammatory acne. The papules can also occur in the event of an allergy and are accompanied by a sensation of itching. The pustules are observed in the case of boils. However, a pustule caused by a boil can be identified by the presence of a red spot with a white head and a hair in the centre of the spot (the hair is not present in the case of acne).
Nodules and Microcysts:
Nodules and microcysts are the result of a deep skin inflammation.
The nodules are painful solid tissue lumps larger than 5 mm.
The cysts are painful deep subcutaneous lesions. Unlike nodules, cysts are filled with a fluid.
Nodules and cysts are observed in severe forms of inflammatory acne as well as in conglobate acne also known as nodulocystic acne.
The vesicles:
Vesicles are detachments of the skin filled with a fluid.
Chickenpox manifests itself through the emergence of red spots, on which quickly appear vesicles filled with a clear fluid. These lesions are accompanied by significant itching and a high fever.
Visually, milia can be mistaken for spots. These are small skin lesions that appear as tiny white or yellowish hard grains beneath the superficial layers of the epidermis. Also known as "milk spots", they typically appear on the face, primarily around the eyes, around the nose, in front of the ears and on the cheeks.Often confused with whiteheads, they are in fact microcysts made up of an accumulation of dead cells that block the pores of the epidermis.
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