In This Story:
Pimples on faces are like unwanted guests; they come home and stay for as much time as they please. They appear when you have that one exciting date (the one you have been dreaming about since the day you were born) or the morning of an uber-important presentation, and sync their time of entry with those monumental life events. You would never hear any sane person say, ‘I adore pimples’, and there’s a reason behind it. Not only do these stubborn skin intruders refuse to budge sooner until you take measures for pimple cure to drive them out, but they also dwindle your self-esteem each time you notice someone with flawless skin and question your karma meter. Sigh.
Moreover, pimples are not just a surface-level issue that you can get rid of with a wash or a few products like dirt, dust, or grime. They are connected to our body, its function, our mind, and even our emotional imbalances. Making them a deeper issue than they appear to be, so let’s find out what causes them and how you can deal with them in time.
What Are Pimples?
Pimples are inflammations caused by excess sebum production and the build-up of bacteria or dead skin cells trapped under skin pores. Skin pimples are a result of accumulated oil glands triggered due to various reasons such as diet, lifestyle, stress, pollution, hormones, etc.
According to a study, although 85% of teenagers experience acne, even adults in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s experience acne. The effects of pimples and acne are not just a skin issue that you can eradicate with topical products, they are far deeper than we think. When our gut is filled with toxins due to a poor diet, improper lifestyle choices, alcohol consumption, and sleep imbalance, that can result in our skin developing pimples. Even our mental health can cause acne and pimples, a stressful exam, embarrassing days in college, anxiety, and hormone-included mood swings can all cause acne on our face, chest, and upper back.
As if they are not complicated enough, the family of pimples have diverse members.
Different Types Of Pimples
Before we get into the big question “how do you remove pimples” let’s look at the six different types of pimples:
- Whiteheads: Whiteheads are identified as small round white-topped bumps on the skin.
- Blackheads: Blackheads are identified as dark bumps which are plugs of sebum on the skin.
- Papules: Papules are identified as inflamed and infected pores with a pinkish appearance.
- Pustules: Pustules are identified as a white or yellow bump usually with a red ring around it on your skin.
- Cysts: Cysts are identified as large pus-filled lesions that appear as boils and usually indicate severe forms of infection.
- Nodules: Nodules are identified as inflamed yet firm bumps that develop within the skin.
What Causes Pimples?
If you are a teenager, don’t blame yourself for your skin troubles; instead, learn ways to tame the oil glands and show them who the boss is!
All of us have a skin profile that varies dramatically. Though they cannot be changed, learning what causes pimples can help you decrypt their vile game better and figure out the relevant pimple cure.
-
Hormonal Changes
Clearly, the excitement of puberty spreads, as androgens galvanise the sebaceous glands to flare up. Periods and pregnancy might also exacerbate acne when hormones get out of control.
-
Excess Sebum
The stimulated sebaceous glands then release more sebum or oil. The excess oil, in the follicles present on the surface of the skin, merges with bacteria or any dead skin cells that have remained in the pores to clog the pores eventually leading to more acne and breakouts.
-
Clogged Follicles
Dead skin cells should ideally shed gradually within a follicle and exit to the skin's surface. The natural process of skin regeneration is stopped when sebaceous gland activity is high because dead skin cells shed more quickly than usual and combine with extra oil to plug follicles.
-
Multiplying Bacteria
All skin types naturally contain bacteria, these bacteria when confined or trapped due to excess sebum, makeup, and unhygienic practices, turn into acne bacteria that grow quickly and cause inflammation.
-
Fiery Inflammation
In response, the body sends its troops of white blood cells to tackle the unwanted bacteria which is what makes the pimples red and painful.
At this point, the scales must have peaked on the worry meter, and wondering if any of these hair-raising activities are in progress in your body. We would say do not panic, lest the stress invites another vexing pimple! A pimple caused by stress would typically mean an LED pop-up on your forehead! Let us observe more of the probable locations of pimple occurrences on your body and watch the secrets of your lifestyle unfold on your skin.
Pimples Found On Different Body Parts
Let’s see what are the causes of pimples on different parts of the body, so you don't have to ask yourself, “Why do pimples come on the face” the next time one pops up.
-
Pimples on Scalp
Cause: Pimples on the scalp can be caused by friction due to headgear or hat, buildup of hair products and inadequate hair cleansing regime. Using oily hair products can also encourage pimples on the head.
How do you remove pimples: Invest in clarifying shampoos, wash your hair regularly and avoid extremely hot water. Tea tree oil is one of the best ingredients to suppress bacteria on the scalp and thus reduce pimples on the head.
-
Pimples on Forehead
Cause: Pimples on the forehead generally indicate spiralling stress, lack of sleep and poor diet habits. They show a digestive system care alert! Pimples on the forehead are the most evident of all the pimples on the face as they are clearly visible on the front profile. And if you have a huge forehead, let’s not even go there!
How do you remove pimples: Ditch the mindless social media browsing and get your 8 hours of beauty sleep. Keep the unwashed hair bangs away from your forehead. Take care of your food intake, as your forehead doesn’t lie.
-
Pimples on Eyelids
Cause: Pimples on eyelids are caused due to inflamed oil glands and the entry of bacteria from external sources.
How do you remove pimples: Avoid using eye makeup from low-credibility brands as they tend to be harsh on the eyes.
-
Pimples on Nose
Cause: Pimples on the nose are linked to poor circulatory system and heart conditions. It could also be due to constipation and bloating.
How do you remove pimples: Avoid constantly scratching the nose and use nose pore strips regularly.
-
Pimples on Lip
Cause: Pimples on the lip indicate irregular bowel movements, bad toothpaste or over-consumption of spicy food.
How do you remove pimples: Use OTC soother benzoyl peroxide and reduce intake of fried and spicy foods.
-
Pimples on Tongue
Cause: Pimples on the tongue are caused by the consumption of acidic foods, smoking or accidental biting.
How do you remove pimples: Rinse your mouth with salt water or antibacterial mouthwash at least twice a day.
-
Pimples on Chin
Cause: Pimples on the chin indicate hormonal imbalance and gynaecological issues.
How do you remove pimples: Avoid resting your hands on your chin to avoid direct contact with bacteria, use an anti-acne cream and don’t let stress provoke your resting hormones.
-
Pimples on Mouth
Cause: Painful pimples or blisters in the mouth could be caused due to hypersensitivity, mucus buildup in glands and poor digestion.
How do you remove pimples: Follow a healthy food diet and take care of dental health.
-
Pimples on Ear
Cause: Pimples in the ear can be caused by the accumulation of oils due to tight unclean headphones or headgear or even bacterial infection from piercings.
How do you remove pimples: Use a heating pad and cleansers to prevent infection and clean your ears regularly.
-
Pimples on Breast
Cause: Pimples on the breast could be genetic, side-effects of medications and poor post-exercise hygiene.
How do you remove pimples: Apply tea-tree oil, shower post-work-out to get rid of accumulated sweat on breasts and wear breathable cotton clothes.
-
Pimples on Back
Cause: Bacne highlights your sweaty lifestyle using the back as a landscape portrait. It can be caused by clogging of impurities and excessive oil due to dandruff, tight backpacks resulting in friction, improper wash regime post-workout, or any physically intense activity.
How do you remove pimples: Diligently shower after you play, run or workout and slip into fresh clothes to let your skin breathe. Keep gentle wet wipes handy for regular use to keep sweat at bay. Restrain from fried foods and dairy that can aggravate.
Tips & Tricks For Preventing & Treating Acne
-
Keep your skin hydrated
If you have oily skin you might think hydration and moisturisation is not for you, well you might have to rethink that. When you don’t keep your skin hydrated your oil glands run in panic mode and generate excess oil and sebum to compensate for the potential dehydration causing an oil build-up and potential acne.
-
Understand your skin type
When you understand your skin type you can better invest in products that suit your skin and thus reduce any chances of breakouts, reactions, or formation of acne-causing bacteria. If you treat your skin the way it deserves to be treated you can survive with very minimal (and some unavoidable) acne that isn’t the scary kind.
-
Refrain from the overuse of makeup
How do you remove pimples? By not letting them form in the first place, one of the biggest reasons for superficial acne and pimples is the overuse of makeup and improper cleansing while removing it. Makeup products are not meant to heal your skin in fact they create more problems when applied for longer hours, or days on a stretch.
-
Picking and popping are a big NO!
Resist the temptation to pick and pop your pimples no matter how much they scream to be popped. If you want an instant solution then slap a pimple patch over your throbbing pimples to avoid further bacteria or wind to make your bare skin feel itchy. A pimple patch will also stop you from popping the pimple and protect your vulnerable pimples from looking gross.
-
Soothe your skin
To avoid itchiness and inflammation, apply some aloe vera gel or a hydrating toner that will soothe your skin and stop you from wanting to pick or itch the skin around your acne. It will calm your skin and also offer a natural radiance.
Products To Prevent Pimples
Albeit, the pimple scars on your face are reminiscent of the annoying zit days, don’t let the pimples sing ‘See You Again’. Although, there is no direct God-sent pimple solution, a combination of these products can lead you to the entry of a pimple-free zone.
Face Wash
The best face wash for pimples helps cleanse your skin and prevents future breakouts. Invest in a good facewash that helps you fight pimples and lets you evade your continuous cycle of disappointments a.k.a. pimple problems. Choose a facewash that’s gentle on the skin and contains an alcohol-based formula with salicylic acid. Choose a complementing cleanser that favours your skin type – dry, oily or combination – to avoid additional skin troubles.
Recommended Favourites:
Cleanser
Cleansing every day can strip off the impurities or any accumulated surface debris from the skin keeping it extremely clean. A good cleanser easily dissolves excess grime, dirt and makeup on the skin and offers a deep cleansing of the pores. A cleanser can also be used to remove makeup as it is gentle and non-foaming.
Recommended Favourites:
Toner
Applying a toner, post-cleansing and prior to moisturising, gets rid of excess pollutants, dirt, oil and traces of makeup while correcting the pH balance of your skin. It removes the build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin which if left unattended could lead to the formation of unwanted pimples. Toners are very beneficial for oily skin. Especially a toner containing glycolic acid can prevent ingrown hair and add an extra layer of protection. Moreover, they help minimise pores. Simply blot a cotton pad with some toner and wipe your face with it. You can leave it to dry and follow it up with a hydrating moisturiser.
Recommended Favourites:
Creams and Gels
Pimple creams or gels contain ingredients that help kill bacteria-causing pimples on the skin. They may cause dryness for some time but you can apply a moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated. Pimple creams get absorbed deep into the skin to act as an effective defence against future breakouts while also working as an efficient pimple remover. Consult a dermatologist to understand the kind of product that is suitable for your skin type and create a skin-care regime around it. Also, different types of pimples respond well to different kinds of pimple gels or pimple creams. Most creams and gels need to be applied overnight before sleep so that they can work best when skin cells rejuvenate. Since certain gels tend to leave the skin sensitive post-application, ensure you apply sunscreen before any exposure to daylight.
Recommended Favourites:
Parting Thoughts
Acne and pimples may be unavoidable for certain skin types at a particular age, but you can always curb them or stop them from worsening. With the right kind of care, a proper diet, a balanced lifestyle, and even meditating to soothe your mind, heart, and soul can lead you on a journey with fewer pimples. And always remember to learn the causes of your acne before you start treating them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pimples
-
How long does it take for a pimple to leave naturally without any popping or treatments?
The formation of pimples begins underneath the skin for a good two weeks before it shows on the surface of the skin. Depending on its size, it can take another week for the fully formed pimple to go away. Popping the pimple with impatient fingers could result in pimple scars that would be more haunting than the pimple itself. So, do not mess with a pimple to avoid pimple marks.
-
Should I avoid wearing make-up if I notice pimples on my face?
You don’t need to compromise on make-up because of some threatening pimples. Follow a good skin-care regime, apply creams to ameliorate the specific pimples and avoid pimple marks. But, if you notice area-specific breakouts after trying a specific brand of make-up, consider switching brands and go for non-comedogenic products.
-
Does regular washing help reduce pimples on the skin?
It is a common myth that excessive washing can help prevent pimples and keep the skin clean. Overdoing the face wash process can dry out your skin and scrubbing it too hard can result in flaky and irritated skin. Washing your face twice on a regular day would suffice. You may make changes in other steps of your skin care regimen, such as applying anti-pimple gels and toners.
-
Are there any pimple-inducing habits that one should avoid?
There are quite a few common actions that should be avoided as they encourage the spread of bacteria and cause pimples.
- Avoid direct contact of your cell phone with your cheeks while talking, since the surface of mobiles attracts bacteria and spreads it to your cheeks. Use earphones to talk on mobile whenever possible.
- Regularly wash your yoga mats as they come in contact with your body surface. Also, do not share yoga mats or towels.
- Dead skin cells that shed at night tend to get accumulated on pillowcases. Keep your pillow covers clean.
Although there is no proven evidence that spicy food or chocolates result in pimples, staying hydrated and maintaining a healthy diet can minimise breakouts.
