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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Acne vulgaris . (Discuss)

A pimple is a result of a blockage of the skin's pore. See Acne vulgaris. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... Image File history File links Merge-arrows. ... This article is about a skin disease commonly found during adolescence. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... A pore, in general, is some form of opening, usually very small. ... This article is about a skin disease commonly found during adolescence. ...

Inside the pore are sebaceous glands which produce sticky sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed (as it does continuously), the dead skin cells left behind may become 'glued' together by the sticky sebum. This causes a blockage in the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty.^[1] The sebaceous glands produce more sebum which builds up behind the blockage, and this sebum harbours various bacteria including the species Propionibacterium acnes. Since the body's natural defence against bacteria is primarily phagocytes (white blood cells), these rush to the site behind the blockage (where the bacteria are). This is what gives some pimples the 'whiteheads' (unless the Phagocytes are deeper in the skin, which means you can't see the 'white' caused by them). The white blood cells then destroy (by phagocytosis) the bacteria to prevent infection. The pain one may feel when a pimple is present is caused by the widening of skin around the white blood cells. Schematic view of a hair follicle with sebaceous gland. ... The sebaceous glands are glands found in the skin of mammals. ... Puberty refers to the process of physical changes by which a childs body becomes an adult body capable of reproduction. ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... Binomial name (Gilchrist 1900) Douglas & Gunter 1946 Propionibacterium acnes is a relatively slow growing, (typically) aerotolerant anaerobic gram positive bacterium that is linked to the skin condition acne; it can also cause chronic blepharitis and endophthalmitis, the latter particularly following intraocular surgery. ... A phagocyte is a cell that ingests (and destroys) foreign matter, such as microorganisms or debris via a process known as phagocytosis, in which these cells ingest and kill offending cells by cellular digestion. ... White Blood Cells redirects here. ... Steps of a macrophage ingesting a pathogen: a. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ...

See also: Acne vulgaris#Treatments

Common over-the-counter medications for pimples are Benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid. Both medications can be found in many creams and gels used to treat acne through topical application. Both medications help skin slough off more easily, which helps to remove bacteria faster. A regimen of keeping the affected skin area clean plus the regular application of these topical medications is usually enough to keep acne under control, if not at bay altogether. 1-2% of the population is allergic to Benzoyl peroxide treatments. Severe acne usually indicates the necessity of prescription medication to treat pimples. Prescription medications used to treat acne include isotretinoin, which is a retinoid. Historically, antibiotics such as tetracyclines and erythromycin were prescribed. While they were more effective than topical applications of benzoyl peroxide, the bacteria eventually grew resistant to the antibiotics and the treatments became less and less effective. Also, antibiotics had more side effects than topical applications, such as stomach cramps and severe discoloration of teeth (erythromycin can cause stomach cramps).^{[citation needed]} This article is about a skin disease commonly found during adolescence. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines that may be sold without a prescription, in contrast to prescription drugs. ... R-phrases , , S-phrases , , , Autoignition temperature 80°C RTECS number DM8575000 Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 Â°C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references Tube of Basiron, a water-based 5% benzoyl peroxide preparation for the treatment of acne. ... Salicylic acid is the chemical compound with the formula C6H4(OH)CO2H, where the OH group is adjacent to the carboxyl group. ... Isotretinoin (INN) (IPA: ) is a medication used for the treatment of severe acne. ... The Retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are related chemically to vitamin A. Retinoids are used in medicine, primarily due to the way they regulate epithelial cell growth. ... An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... This article deals with the specific Tetracycline antibiotic. ... Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic which has an antimicrobial spectrum similar to or slightly wider than that of penicillin, and is often used for people who have an allergy to penicillins. ...

References

External links

• Pictures of Pimples & Acne