An acne flare is a stretch where breakouts suddenly increase or existing acne becomes more inflamed. Stress, hormonal shifts, certain skincare products, or, for some people, diet can all play a role. Noticing a flare is often a useful cue to revisit a skincare or treatment routine.

Acne vulgaris is simply the medical name for common acne, the everyday skin condition involving hair follicles and oil glands that most people experience at some point. It spans a wide range, from a handful of blackheads to severe cystic breakouts. Despite the clinical-sounding name, it describes the acne most people are familiar with.

Acne severity grading is the system doctors use to classify a case as mild, moderate, or severe, based on the type and number of lesions present. This classification helps steer which treatments are likely to be appropriate. It gives structure to what might otherwise feel like a fairly subjective assessment.

Acne scarring refers to lasting changes in skin texture that can follow inflamed acne, especially nodules or cysts, once they heal. Scars can appear as small indentations or, less commonly, raised marks. It's one of the strongest reasons doctors encourage treating inflammatory acne sooner rather than later.

An acne cyst is a deep, pus-filled, painful lesion that forms when inflammation spreads further into the skin than a typical pustule. Cystic acne counts among the more severe forms and often leaves scarring if it isn't treated promptly. Catching it early makes a real difference to long-term skin appearance.

An acne papule is a small, raised, red bump that forms once a clogged pore becomes inflamed. It tends to feel tender when touched but doesn't contain any visible pus. Spotting papules is a useful way to tell inflamed acne apart from plain blackheads or whiteheads.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease is a condition where taking aspirin or related medicines makes nasal polyps, sinus symptoms, and asthma noticeably worse. Steering clear of these medicines becomes a central part of managing the condition. It's a good example of why a full medicine history matters when nasal polyps are being investigated.

Anosmia is a partial or total loss of the sense of smell, and it's a particularly common — and often distressing — symptom of nasal polyps. Because polyps physically block airflow to the smell-sensing area high in the nose, even mild swelling can dull it noticeably. Reporting smell changes is worth doing, since they're an important marker doctors track.

Axial psoriatic arthritis mainly targets the spine and sacroiliac joints, leading to back and neck pain along with stiffness. It's a less common pattern than the peripheral form. Some patients experience mostly back symptoms with little or no joint swelling elsewhere.

The Auspitz sign refers to tiny pinpoint spots of bleeding that appear when a psoriasis scale is carefully peeled away. It happens because the skin beneath the scale is thinner than normal, with blood vessels sitting closer to the surface. Doctors sometimes use this sign to help confirm a psoriasis diagnosis.