How do I know I have acne?

Comedomes are the key characteristic feature of acne. “Comedomes are ‘blocked pores’ – known medically as follicular hyperkeratinisation, and they can be open comedomes (blackheads) or closed comedomes (whiteheads or pustules), explains Dr Eleni. Sometimes acne is confused with another skin condition called rosacea, but the two are not the same. “Rosacea presents with inflammatory bumps on the skin, which can sometimes contain pustules but there are no true comedomes,” says Dr Eleni. “It also tends to affect the central aspect of the face (nose, central cheeks and chin) and can be associated with blushing or telangiectasis (broken capillaries), which are also not a feature of acne.”