Many people make an unpleasant acquaintance with skin impurities throughout their lives. When we talk about it, we usually talk about "pimples ." But from a dermatological point of view, skin impurities are considered – and designated – in a much more differentiated way. Therefore, in this blog post, I would like to give you a small overview of the different types of blemishes and how skin care can improve the appearance of impure skin.
But First: How Do Skin Impurities Develop?
Triggers for skin impurities are manifold. The most well-known are hormonal fluctuations, especially during puberty. But what is often underestimated: even a genetic predisposition and the way we live, an unhealthy diet, stress, nicotine and alcohol, medications, and even the wrong care products can be the cause of impure skin.
The triggers for skin blemishes are one thing. But what happens to the skin? If it comes to oily and impure skin, the sebaceous glands are excessively productive (seborrhea). Not infrequently, this is accompanied by temporary or permanent cornification disorders (hyperkeratosis). The result: pores clog, and skin impurities develop.
The Different Types of Blemishes
Comedo. The comedo appears in two forms: closed and open. The closed form, the so-called "whitehead," looks like a small, light to white elevation on the skin. Here, a plug of sebum, dead skin cells, dirt, and sweat has formed in the pore. The sebaceous canal is closed upwards..
The open form is characterized by the plug pressing through the sebaceous canal to the skin's surface. Through contact with oxygen, the melanin contained in the sebum oxidizes and turns dark. That is why this form of comedo is also called "blackhead."
Papule. A papule is basically a closed comedo that has become inflamed by bacteria. The papule also looks like a small raised bump. However, it is colored red due to the inflammation.
Pustule. When we talk about "pimples," we usually have the image of a pustule in mind. In contrast to the papule, the bacteria here have led to the fact that the pore has not only become inflamed and thus reddened. Pus has also developed in the sebaceous canal.
Acne. If the skin impurities described above occur sporadically, they are unpleasant but not yet a pathological condition. However, it is different if skin impurities occur significantly increased and permanently, if they are connect under the skin surface, and deeper skin layers are also affected. Then it can be chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands, called acne. Acne is a skin disease whose manifestations include, for example, cystic acne and acne nodes. Both arise in contrast to pustules, papules in the deeper skin tissue and can be very painful. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent scarring of the skin. That's why medical advice is essential now at the latest! However, in most cases, acne symptoms can be well controlled by medical help.
Milia (semolina). Milia are harmless tiny white cysts that form at the exits of the sebaceous glands. They are made of horn material. When they come to the skin's surface, they usually feel hard. Milia is not a skin disease. It's a purely aesthetic problem, typically disappearing on its own, but can also be cosmetically removed.
