When a pimple rears its ugly, pus-filled head, we all find ourselves Googling one thing: how to get rid of it. But in our furious state of popping and spot-treating, rarely do we stop to think about what a pimple actually is.
Scientists always aim to understand the nature of something—where it comes from, how it behaves—before focusing on a cure. So in the spirit of scientific curiosity, I got in touch with celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau. She broke down the ugly details of what makes a zit a zit, from how it's born to how it grows to how it eventually fizzles away.
"Did you know that the formation of a blemish can start weeks, or potentially months, before it ever appears visibly?" Rouleau asks. "Most infected blemishes form due to pre-existing whiteheads and blackheads, which consist of blocked and hardened sebum [aka oil] deep within the pores. These become inflamed due to dead cells that line the hair follicle and create bacteria." It's important to note that all follicles (or pores) contain bacteria naturally, she adds. When oxygen can easily flow into the follicle, the bacteria can’t thrive or cause problems. It's only when you get the perfect storm of a little too much sebum, plus some dead skin cells, that you're put on the path to a pimple.
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