Diagnosing acne

NHS Choices - Diagnosing acne

Your GP will be able to make an initial diagnosis of acne based on the appearance of your skin. This will involve examining your face, chest and back for the different types of spot, such as blackheads or sore, red nodules.

The number of spots that you have, and how painful and inflamed they are, will help your GP to assess the severity of your acne, which plays an important part in the planning of your treatment.

Acne is classified as mild, moderate or severe. The severities are described below.

Mild acne: where you mostly have blackheads and whiteheads that are usually confined to your face.
Moderate acne: where you have a combination of whiteheads, blackheads, papules and pustules that may extend to your shoulders and back.
Severe acne: as well as the papules and pustules, you also have nodules and cysts and the spread of the acne may be extensive.

Your GP will discuss with you the history of your symptoms and any previous treatments that you have used, including over-the-counter (OTC) products. You may also want to discuss the psychological effects of having acne and whether it makes you feel upset or embarrassed.

Glossary

Nodules: A nodule is a small growth or lump of tissue.

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