Acne, Pimples, Zits and Treatment

What is the difference between a pimple and a zit? There is no difference.

Zit is a North American slang term used to describe the most common form of acne, Acne Vulgaris. Acne affects almost approximately three out of four people during the teen years and one in four people during adulthood. Acne is the blockage of follicles or pores, by sebum, otherwise know as oil. When the pores are blocked, bacteria begin to grow and form into a microcomedone. This is the beginning stages of a whitehead or a blackhead pimple.

Acne is divided into 5 separate categories: Acne Vulgaris, Acne Rosacea, Acne Conglobata, Acne Fluminans, Gram-Negative Folliculitis and Pyoderma Faciale.

Acne Vulgaris includes blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules as well as the more severe forms, acne nodules and cysts.

The most common affliction of acne, Acne Vulgaris is divided into open comodos and closed comodos, papules and pustules. A whitehead or closed comodo is formed when the pore is blocked and the oil and bacteria remain below the surface of the skin.

A blackhead or open comodo is formed in much the same manner, but is partially exposed to the surface of the skin. The head of the pimple turns black due to exposure to melanin, also known as skin pigment. Blackheads have a tendency to last longer than a whitehead as the sebum and bacteria slowly leech to the surface of the skin.

Papules are a form of pimple that contains no head, while pustules are similar to a whitehead, but turns an angry red color while the head turns a pussy yellow. Attempting to pop or lance these strains of acne could result in further or extensive facial scarring.

Contrary to popular belief, facial blemishes or acne, is not caused be being a dirty person. When pores become filled with sebum it is from the inside out. Frequently washing of the infected area will only result in further irritating the skin and may actually increase the outbreak.

Acne Conglobata and Acne Fulminans are extremely similar and are most common in males and are the most intense forms of Acne Vulgaris. There is an abundance of large lesions combined with a vast amount of blackheads.