You might be surprised to learn that there are quite a few skin conditions that can mimic acne.
It's not unusual for a person to look in the mirror and see a spot, or a bit of redness, or something just slightly different about their skin and the first thing they think is, "Oh no! I've got acne!" Truly, unless and until you've been given a diagnosis of acne vulgaris (a real diagnosis, not a self-diagnosis) then it's nothing to panic over, and for goodness sake, whatever you do, don't treat yourself because you might be wrong and make things worse.
Let's take a quick look at some (though certainly not all) of the other acne-wannabes.
• Pseudo folliculitis is simply a rash caused by shaving; it might also be called razor rash, or razor bumps or even razor burn and it's an irritation of the hair follicles caused by the hairs which turn inward creating the bump.
The obvious "fix" is to stop shaving or to shave less frequently, but if that is impossible you might want to consider alternative means of facial hair removal.
• Rosacea may appear a lot like acne, as there are pimples and sometimes broad patches of redness, but generally there is a distinct absence of whiteheads or blackheads.
It worsens under certain conditions, including periods of high stress or embarrassment, high temperature, eating of spicy foods, etc.
• Folliculitis (not the pseudo kind) is the presence of pimples on your face, as well as elsewhere on your body, which are merely inflamed hair follicles, and which generally resolve on their own.
Should they not, however, a doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to treat them.
• Gram-Negative Folliculitis is a bacterial infection that occurs in individuals who are on an extended course of certain antibiotics.
It is a relatively rare condition, but if you are on long-term antibiotics, it would be in your best interest to point it out to your practitioner who can check skin and then prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Finally, you might have an allergic reaction to any number of things that come into contact with your skin, including food, soaps, lotions, detergents, cosmetics, etc.
You also might be experiencing breakouts from contact with your mattress which contains dust mites, or perhaps other environmental allergens such as pollen, dust or pet dander.
So, is it acne? Not so sure now, are you? With so many other skin conditions that mimic acne its best to leave the answer to that question to a professional by having your skin checked out at a skin clinic.