What is a “zit?”

“Zits” are another word for a pimple and results due to a blockage of the skin’s pores. It can be a pustule or papule. Inside the pores are sebaceous glands which produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed as they commonly due because your skin sheds every 21-30 days depending on your age and body. The dead skin cells that are left behind become glued together by the sebum. This causes the blockage of the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty. The sebaceous glands produce more sebum which builds up behind the blockage, and harbours bacteria.
When you have a breakout or a “zit” come to the surface of the skin it is IMPORTANT to remember not to “pop” them because it only spreads infection and can make your embarrassing pimples even worse or cause more to appear.  Unfortunately pimples effect over 70 million people all over the World. There isn’t a specific age, race, sex or reasons why some people are more prone to break outs then others.
There are several factors that cause pimples to break out on the face and back. Stress, diet, bacteria and a build-up of toxins including infection heighten your chances of breaking out. Stress is not just a mental state of being, it can also affect your physical wellness. If you have an infection, it will find an outlet through pimples. During your teen years your body begins to go through several different changes, including producing more testosterone (a male hormone found in females as well as males, but in varying amounts), which tells your body to start producing more oil. As a result, the dead skin cells mix with the oil, clog your pores and cause break outs.
There are a few kinds of pimples, all undesirable, but some more than others. When your skin is clogged up with enough skin cells and oil, you getwhiteheads; which are called closed comedones, they are small white bump under the surface of the skin. When an open comedone reaches the surface and is black in color it is called a blackhead. The dark color appears because of dirt, a hair follicle has broken off, or rather from melanin pigments (the stuff that gives color to your skin and hair).
If the wall of the pore breaks, it can become inflamed and red. If it breaks further below the skin’s surface acne nodules or cysts can form. It is important to get these treated, unless of course you want permanent scars.
Ways to prevent break outs

Change your pillow case daily to ensure you are not harboring bacteria from your hair, to your pillow and to your face
Avoid excessive dairy products. Dairy can be stored in your sebaceous gland and can clog your pores.
Refrain from touching your face, if you MUST touch your face use the back of your hand as has less bacteria then the palm side of your hands
DO NOT be a “product junkie” this will cause you have worse problems because you are mixing chemicals and changing the natural ph level of your skin
Exfolliate a minimum of three times a week

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