The 6 different types of pimples
1. Blackheads
These are open comedones. A comedone is made up of follicles beneath your skin that have openings, i.e. your pores. When these follicles are large, they can become clogged with sebum and when exposed to air, they change colour to become blackheads.
2. Whiteheads
AKA closed, flesh-coloured comedones filled with sebum and dead skin cells. When your pores are smaller, air can’t react with the bacteria under your skin, so the colour of your bump doesn’t change, making it a whitehead.
3. Papules
A bump under the skin’s surface caused by a clogged pore, leaving a spot that’s tender, raised and a bit inflamed but with no discernible head, i.e. a white, black, or puss-filled blemish.
4. Pustules
A progression from a papule – these are filled with sebum, dead skin cells and pus. They have a pretty obvious head that’s usually white or yellow.
5. Cysts
A severely swollen nodule. These are large, red, or white fluid-filled lumps that are often painful to the touch. The most frustrating part about is that they can also damage healthy skin tissue, causing deep scarring.
6. Nodules
These occur when clogged, swollen pores that are deep beneath skin get even more irritated and start to swell. They can also be filled with pus, but because they’re so deep, you can’t quite see a whitehead.
Words: Foyin Ogunrombi Sources: www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/types-of-acne#severity,
www.verywellhealth.com/types-of-inflamed-pimples-15615, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322322#inflammatory-acne-types
1. Blackheads
These are open comedones. A comedone is made up of follicles beneath your skin that have openings, i.e. your pores. When these follicles are large, they can become clogged with sebum and when exposed to air, they change colour to become blackheads.
2. Whiteheads
AKA closed, flesh-coloured comedones filled with sebum and dead skin cells. When your pores are smaller, air can’t react with the bacteria under your skin, so the colour of your bump doesn’t change, making it a whitehead.
3. Papules
A bump under the skin’s surface caused by a clogged pore, leaving a spot that’s tender, raised and a bit inflamed but with no discernible head, i.e. a white, black, or puss-filled blemish.
4. Pustules
A progression from a papule – these are filled with sebum, dead skin cells and pus. They have a pretty obvious head that’s usually white or yellow.
5. Cysts
A severely swollen nodule. These are large, red, or white fluid-filled lumps that are often painful to the touch. The most frustrating part about is that they can also damage healthy skin tissue, causing deep scarring.
6. Nodules
These occur when clogged, swollen pores that are deep beneath skin get even more irritated and start to swell. They can also be filled with pus, but because they’re so deep, you can’t quite see a whitehead.
Words: Foyin Ogunrombi Sources: www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/types-of-acne#severity,
www.verywellhealth.com/types-of-inflamed-pimples-15615, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/
322322#inflammatory-acne-types
Meet salicylic acid:
your spots’ worst
nightmare and your skin’s
When it comes to treating spots and keeping your skin clear, there are few ingredients that do it better than salicylic (pronounced ‘salli-sillick’ – you can do it!) acid. This common skincare ingredient for problem skin is what’s known as a beta-hydroxy acid, or BHA, and is extracted from the bark of the willow tree. Historians believe that it has been used for thousands of years to keep skin in good condition and remains the gold standard today. And there’s a reason for that.
How does it work?
As a BHA, salicylic acid works by penetrating deep into your pores
to sweep them out and dissolve
away dead skin cells, preventing
them from becoming clogged
with sweat and oil. As such, it is considered a peeling or exfoliating
ingredient. If you don’t exfoliate regularly and your hair follicles do become blocked, you are at risk of
developing blackheads,
whiteheads and pustules. No, thanks!
While this ingredient is pretty miraculous, don’t expect to see results after just one use. You should start to notice an improvement in the clarity of your complexion after six weeks of use as part
of a consistent skincare routine – that means twice a day with water and quality products.
Anything you should know about?
Like many good things in life, too much salicylic acid
can be bad for us. Before you
slather a load of it on your
face, do a patch test on your
arm and leave it overnight to
see how your skin reacts. All
clear? Then you can start using
your products every other night
before increasing your use to
once a day, then twice a day, as this will give your skin time to adjust. Some side effects you may experience include stinging, itching and flaky, peeling skin. So go slow and steady!
These side effects, however, can be drastically reduced by using it along with gentle, hydrating ingredients that can prevent moisture loss. One of the best in the biz is hyaluronic acid, a molecule that derives from nature and has the ability to hold enough water to retain it in your skin all day. This winning combo, which features in the NIVEA Clear Up range, works together to bust blemishes, prevent and soothe irritation and keep skin clear and hydrated all day, every day.
Words: Helen Wallace
When it comes to treating spots and keeping your skin clear, there are few ingredients that do it better than salicylic (pronounced ‘salli-sillick’ – you can do it!) acid. This common skincare ingredient for problem skin is what’s known as a beta-hydroxy acid, or BHA, and is extracted from the bark of the willow tree. Historians believe that it has been used for thousands of years to keep skin in good condition and remains the gold standard today. And there’s a reason for that.
How does it work?
As a BHA, salicylic acid works by penetrating deep into your pores to sweep them out and dissolve away dead skin cells, preventing them from becoming clogged with sweat and oil. As such, it is considered a peeling or exfoliating ingredient. If you don’t exfoliate regularly and your hair follicles do become blocked, you are at risk of developing blackheads, whiteheads and pustules. No, thanks!
While this ingredient is pretty miraculous, don’t expect to see results after just one use. You should start to notice an improvement in the clarity of your complexion after six weeks of use as part of a consistent skincare routine – that means twice a day with water and quality products.
Anything you should know about?
Like many good things in life, too much salicylic acid can be bad for us. Before you slather a load of it on your face, do
a patch test arm and leave it overnight to see how your skin reacts. All clear? Then you can start using your products every other night before increasing your use to once a day, then twice a day, as this will give your skin time to adjust. Some side effects you may experience include stinging, itching and flaky, peeling skin. So go slow and steady!
These side effects, however, can be drastically
using it along with gentle, hydrating ingredients that can prevent moisture loss. One of the best in the biz is hyaluronic acid, a molecule that derives from nature and has the ability to hold enough water to retain it in your skin all day. This winning combo, which features in the NIVEA Clear Up range, works together to bust blemishes, prevent and soothe irritation and keep skin clear and hydrated all day, every day.
Anything you should know about?
Like many good things in life, too much salicylic acid can be bad for us. Before you slather a load of it on your face, do a patch test arm and leave it overnight to see how your skin reacts. All clear? Then you can start using your products every other night before increasing your use to once a day, then twice a day, as this will give your skin time to adjust. Some side effects you may experience include stinging, itching and flaky, peeling skin. So go slow and steady!
These side effects, however, can be drastically reduced by using it along with gentle, hydrating ingredients that can prevent moisture loss. One of the best in the biz is hyaluronic acid, a molecule that derives from
This winning combo, which features in the NIVEA Clear Up range, works together to bust blemishes, prevent and soothe irritation and keep skin clear and hydrated all day, every day.
Words: Helen Wallace
