What’s the difference between a whitehead vs a blackhead?
Hopefully, this will help ‘clear up’ the situation.
Well, actually a better question might be “what’s the difference between whitehead vs a blackhead vs pimples, pustules, papules and cysts ?”
Acne is a skin condition that shows up as different types of bumps. The bumps on your skin can include whiteheads, blackheads, red bumps (pimples) and can turn into papules, pustules or cysts.
What causes these annoying bumps? Well, your skin is covered with tiny holes called hair follicles, or pores. Pores contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands) that make sebum (an oil that moistens your hair and skin).
Most of the time, the glands make the right amount of sebum and the pores are fine. But sometimes a pore gets clogged up with too much sebum, dead skin cells, and germs called bacteria. This can cause acne.
If a pore gets clogged up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, that’s a whitehead. If a pore clogs up but stays open, the top surface can get dark (oxidized) and you’re left with a blackhead. Sometimes the walls of the pore are broken, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get under the skin. This causes a small, red infection called a pimple. Clogged-up pores that open up deep in the skin can lead to bigger infections known as cysts.
Sometimes the pores get so irritated that their walls break. That causes bigger pimples that are called papules and pustules. Papules are hard when you touch them. … Pustules are like papules except yellowish, liquid pus fills them sort of like a blister.
Francine, our esthetician, can help you determine what’s happening to your skin and the best treatment for those whiteheads, blackheads, or other bumps. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.