Pimples (Acne) Overview

Pimples are common and usually harmless blemishes. They may appear as red bumps, either on the skin’s surface or beneath it. Pimples sometimes contain pus.

However, pimples can develop anywhere on the body, and they commonly form on the face, back, and chest.

While some pimples persist, and can require treatment and others  go away by themselves.

Causes of Pimples (Acne)

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that can cause pimples to form in various areas of the body. Pimples tend to form where more oil glands are present, and they most commonly affect the:

  • Back
  • Chest
  • Face
  • Neck
  • Shoulders

In fact, pimples develop when oil glands produce excess oil, preventing dead skin cells from naturally leaving the pores. This buildup of oil and dead cells blocks the pores and causes pimples to form.

Bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes can also cause pimples to form, as can fluctuations in hormone levels.

Types of Pimples (Acne)

The various types of pimple can look and feel slightly different.

Pustules are pus filled pimples that may appear on the face or elsewhere on the upper body.

While, pustules may last for a few weeks, but if they last longer than 6–8 weeks and do not respond to treatment, it might be a good idea to see a doctor or dermatologist.

Cystic acne causes swollen, red bumps to form. These also tend to develop on the upper body, particularly the face.

Although, cystic acne may be longer lasting because it forms deep within the skin. With treatment, some people see an improvement in 6–8 weeks. If this does not happen, the dermatologist may recommend a change of treatment.

As acne on the back may be persistent. With treatment, people may see an improvement in 6–8 weeks, while complete healing may take 3–4 months.

Sometimes, what appears to be a pimple is a different kind of blemish. Ingrown hair, for example, can cause red, swollen bumps that tend to form after shaving the face or legs.

Triggers of Pimples (Acne)

Certain things in the environment contribute to acne or they can make an acne breakout worse, including:

  • Air pollution and certain weather conditions, especially high humidity
  • Stress, which increases the hormone cortisol
  • A side effect of a medication
  • Picking at your pimples
  • Working in an area where you routinely come in contact with grease, such as working at a restaurant with frying oil
  • Using oily or greasy personal care products, like heavy lotions and creams
  • Wearing tight-fitting clothing and headgear, like hats and sports helmets


Foods that can Cause Pimples (Acne)

Some studies link particular foods and diets to acne, like:

  • Diets high in sugar
  • Skim milk
  • Whey protein

While high-sugar diets may lead to acne outbreaks, chocolate isn’t directly linked to pimples (acne).

To reduce your risk of acne, choose to eat a balanced, nutritious diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, which helps reduce inflammation.

Home Care and Treatments for Pimples (Acne)

A wide range of home care strategies, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and prescription treatments can reduce or get rid of pimples.

Try the following methods:

Washing the face twice a day

The American Academy of Dermatology recommend washing the face twice a day and after sweating to help prevent the pores from clogging.

Also, people can also try applying a nonabrasive cleanser to the face with the fingertips, using gentle, circular motions. They should then rinse the face with lukewarm water and gently pat it dry with a clean towel.

Using ice for deep, painful pimples

Applying ice to deep pimples can help reduce swelling and redness. First, a person can wash the face with a nonabrasive cleanser and pat it dry.

Additionally, they can wrap a piece of ice in a paper towel or clean cloth and hold it against the pimples for 5–10 minutes. It is best to remove the compress then and wait for 10 minutes before repeating the process.

Avoiding aggravating the skin

Popping pimples may slow healing and increase the chances of scarring. Also, scrubbing the skin can aggravate it and worsen acne.

So the goal is to avoid touching affected skin, particularly with unwashed hands. Avoiding this will help prevent bacteria on the hands from transferring to the face, contributing to pimples.

Trying a warm compress

A whitehead is a pimple with a white center, which is pus. A person can use a warm compress to help release the pus. Doing this will speed healing.

Also, people can make a compress by running a clean cloth under hot water and then squeezing any excess water out. Holding the cloth against the pimple for 10–15 minutes and repeating this 3–4 times a day can help the pimple heal.

Washing sheets and pillowcases regularly

Bacteria, dead skin cells, and dirt can collect on surfaces that the body comes into contact with regularly, including pillowcases, bedsheets, and clothing. These substances can block pores and cause pimples to form.

If pimples tend to form in a certain area of the body, regularly washing anything that comes into contact with that area can help reduce breakouts.

Changing bedsheets every week and pillowcases 2–3 times a week can help keep pimples from forming or worsening.

Trying OTC creams

Benzoyl peroxide is an ingredient in many OTC acne products. It helps kill bacteria that can cause acne.

For example, it may be best to start with a cream or ointment that contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, the lowest level common in these products.

Also, some other effective ingredients in OTC acne products include retinoids, which can help clear pores and reduce excess oil, and salicylic acid, which can also reduce inflammation.

Using prescription medications

If pimples are deep and long lasting, it may be a good idea to see a dermatologist.

For example, the dermatologist may prescribe antibiotics to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria that could be causing pimples. In some cases, they might prescribe birth control pills to adjust hormone levels.

Changing the diet and lifestyle

Acne occurs more frequently in Western countries, where its prevalence is over 80%. This fact has led researchers to think that diet and lifestyle may play a part in acne and pimple formation.

A 2018 review of 14 studies found that in people between the ages of 7 and 30 years, intake of dairy may have a link to acne.

Also, amino acids that are present in dairy products cause insulin secretion in the body, which increases the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Researchers suggest that IGF-1 may play a large role in causing acne.

However, researchers still need to rule out factors that could interfere with the results of these studies, such as age, gender, and genetics.

Additionally, other dietary and lifestyle factors may also affect acne. Anecdotal reports suggest that the following may reduce pimple breakouts:

  • Doing regular exercise
  • Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, protein, and healthful fats
  • Getting regular, high quality sleep
  • Lowering levels of stress

Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Samples available include cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma, cancer, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types.

Our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.

All our human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

This critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Patient’s data is extremely valuable for researchers and is used to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, and other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples, including cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC.

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

Moreover, we can also procure most human bio-specimens, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, and PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols; you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.

Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.

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