what is the difference between blackheads and pimples?
In: Biology
Blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples all result from the same origin: skin stuff (usually oil, dead skin, or dirt) clogs up one of your pores. Each term is slightly different.
A blackhead happens when the clog is at the surface. The formal term is an “open comedone.” It’s black because the clog is exposed to air, so the oily parts can change by reacting with oxygen.
A whitehead is exactly the same as a blackhead, but the blockage is far enough under the skin that it doesn’t react with air. This allows the gunk inside to keep its original (off-white) color. Because it is protected from air by your skin, it is called a “closed comedone.”
A pimple occurs when a whitehead becomes inflamed. Pus–the gunk left over from dead cells and your body killing bacteria–collects at the tip of the comedone. The pus and inflammation usually means pimples are painful and/or sensitive. This is also why you should never pop a pimple: that causes the bacteria your body has successfully trapped in the pore to spread all over the nearby skin, potentially infecting even more pores. Allow the pimple to progress naturally. If it pops on its own, do what you can to keep the area as clean as possible.
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