How Bad Is Your Acne?

Defining Our Terms

When you make an appointment with a dermatologist, the doctor will "grade" the severity of your acne.

Grade 1

Mild acne, with a few whiteheads and blackheads. Inflamed pimples are not present.

Grade 2

Moderate acne, with blackheads, whiteheads and pimples only on the face (not on other parts of the body, such as the neck, chest or back. Minimal inflammation.

Grade 3

Severe acne, with blackheads, whiteheads and deeper pimples. Inflammation is present.

Grade 4

Very severe acne, with lesions that may spread to the neck, shoulders, chest and back. Deep cysts will be present.

A Proper Assessment

"Since acne treatments must be appropriate to the condition in order to be effective, I take great lengths in thoroughly assessing each patient," explains Dr. Mauro C. Romita, a board-certified plastic surgeon who is the founder and executive director of AJUNE Medical Day Spa in New York City. Dr. Romita provides specialized clinical treatments to meet the individualized needs of each client and oversees all of AJUNE's skilled professionals, including an on-site nurse, nutritionist, massage therapists and estheticians.

"The number and types of acne lesions, the location of those lesions and the frequency of breakouts all help to determine a mild, moderate or severe acne rating," Dr. Romita says. "This rating characterizes acne as inflammatory (inflamed oil glands) or cystic (severe acne that is red and swollen because of a deeper infection), adult or adolescent, and will dictate the best course of action to take."