Diagnosis

A GP can diagnose acne by looking at your skin. This involves examining your face, chest or back for the different types of spot, such as blackheads or sore, red nodules.

How severe your acne is will determine where you should go for treatment and what treatment you should have.

The severity of acne is often categorised as:

mild - mostly whiteheads and blackheads, with a few papules and pustules
moderate - more widespread whiteheads and blackheads, with many papules and pustules
severe - lots of large, painful papules, pustules, nodules or cysts; you might also have some scarring

For mild acne, you should speak to a pharmacist for advice. For moderate or severe acne, speak to a GP.

Acne in women

If acne suddenly starts in adult women, it can be a sign of a hormonal imbalance, especially if it's accompanied by other symptoms such as:

excessive body hair (hirsutism)
irregular or light periods

The most common cause of hormonal imbalances in women is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

PMOS can be diagnosed using a combination of ultrasound scans and blood tests.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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