All you need to know about Skin Blemishes

You may wonder why those annoying whiteheads, blackheads, nodules, cysts, or pimples keep popping up on your face. But first, what is blemish?

• Blemish is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles and pores become clogged with oil (sebum) or dead skin cells.
• It’s most common during the teenage years due to hormones, which increase oil production in the skin, leading to clogged pores.
• It affects approximately 70% to 95% of young people. It’s caused by oils, hormones, and dead skin cells. The symptoms usually disappear once puberty is over and hormones decrease. 
• Occasionally, blemishes can become inflamed and infected when too much bacteria develops in the clogged pores. This leads to bigger pimples, such as papules or cysts. 

As we have said above, blemishes are caused by clogged pores, usually due to dead skin or excess oil. Different factors can cause excess oil production and oily skin, including

• A rise in hormones during puberty.
• Hormonal changes during menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, or due to polycystic ovary syndrome. They usually cause hormonal or cystic blemish symptoms. 
• Skin and hair products.
• Oils and grease from your hair or other things such as cooking oil.
• Certain diet foods can trigger breakouts.
• High levels of stress.
• Heat, humidity, and friction (like wearing a mask, or “maskne”).

Blemishes (most common on the face, chest, upper back, shoulders, and neck) can cause the following symptoms:

• Blackheads: small black bumps on the skin surface. They are open clogged pores.
• Whiteheads: flesh-coloured, small, closed clogged pores firmer than blackheads.
• Papules: small, red, and tender bumps.
• Pustules: papules with pus at the tip (also called pimples).
• Nodules: form underneath the skin and look like large bumps that feel hard and painful.
• Cysts: large and sometimes painful lumps filled with pus; often the most severe type of blemish. 

The severity of these symptoms varies, as well as the types of blemishes, and here’s how you identify them:

• Mild blemish: less than 20 blackheads and whiteheads, and a few papules or pustules. You can easily treat them at home, and it doesn’t usually require visiting your doctor. 
• Moderate blemish: a larger number of blackheads and whiteheads, with many papules and pustules. 
• Severe blemish: many papules and pustules, including large, painful cysts and nodules.
• Noninflammatory: this type can be referred to as “comedonal blemish”. It usually appears as blocked pores in the form of blackheads or whiteheads. Noninflammatory blemish is mild and causes bumps or an uneven surface on the skin, without redness.
• Inflammatory: this is more severe and will present with small or large red bumps on the skin. These inflamed bumps may be papules or pustules, or larger, more painful nodules and cysts. Some may be filled with pus. A blocked pore usually becomes inflamed when it is infected with bacteria or irritated by something like squeezing.

A pimple (spot, zit, you name it) is a papule or pustule on the face, back, chest or shoulders. It forms when your pores become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. As bacteria multiply, the pores can become inflamed and red – leading to pimples!

It’s always good to know that you aren’t the only one dealing with this annoying issue. Blemishes are common, especially in teenagers, as those hormones work on overdrive and produce more oil, causing your pores to become clogged. But your skin can become prone to blemish at any point in your life, and many factors, such as hormone imbalances and stress, can aggravate the condition.

Understanding the type of blemish you have to get your glowing, clear skin back is essential. So, whether it’s mild with just a few blackheads and whiteheads or severe with inflamed pustules or cysts, rest assured that it can all be treated in time.