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No one really understands why but follicles which are also called pores often get blocked. Oil, or sebum, normally drains to the surface but somehow it gets blocked and then bacteria start to grow. Both blackheads and whiteheads begin as microcomedones.
When the trapped oil and bacteria stay below the surface of the skin, a whitehead is formed. They may show up as tiny little white spots, or they may be so tiny that they are actually invisible to the naked eye.
A blackhead forms a little differently. This occurs when the trapped oil and bacteria become partially open to the skin’s surface, and then they turn black due to melanin which is the skin’s pigment. This is not dirt so no matter how much you wash, it will not get rid of them. Blackheads can last for quite some time because the contents of oil and bacteria slowly drain to the surface.
A whitehead or blackhead can sometimes release its contents to the skin’s surface and heal. Then again, the follicle wall can sometimes rupture and inflammatory acne can occur. This rupture can be caused randomly or else by touching or picking the skin. This is why you should refrain from picking your pimples!
When a break in the follicular wall occurs, a papule is formed. White blood cells then rush in and the pores then become inflamed. When the white blood cells finally make their way to the skin’s surface, a pustule forms. It may take several days for one of these pustules to form. People usually refer to these pustules as “zits” or “pimples”.
Sometimes an inflamed lesion can completely explode or collapse. This causes severe inflammation of the surrounding skin. These lesions are called cysts or nodules.
Now that we know what pimples are and how they are formed, what are some effective treatments?
If you happen to treat yourself with over-the-counter medications, then choose them carefully. What works for a friend of yours may not necessarily work for you. Every person’s skin is different.
The first choice for treating pimples is the use of topical medications. Benzoyl Peroxide is just about the most popular medication. Other products that are used in the treatment of pimples are Salicylic Acid, Alcohol and Acetone, Resorcinol and Sulphur, Topical Antibiotics, Azelaic Acid, Nicotinamide and Topical Retinoids.
Remember, that you do not have to suffer with this affliction these days. There is bound to be something out there that will work for you!
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