Is there a cure for pimples?

Pimples always find a way of cropping at the most inconvenient times. But why do pimples occur and how do we get rid of them? We all know that our body is covered with pores. Within the pore is a gland that produces an oily substance called sebum,which empties onto the skin to keep our body moisturised. But if the pore becomes clogged with dead skin cells and oil,a blockage will be created. Sebum will continue to be produced but it will be trapped within the pore making it become enlarged. Now the bacteria might come into play,feeding on the dead cells and sebum which can unfortunately lead to infection. Our immune system responds by sending blood to that area,which gives the appearance of redness and inflammation,and white blood cells will come to the site too to clear up the infection.

When the white blood cells die,they along with the dead cells and sebum create the pus filled pimple. If the blockage occurs under the skin,it creates a white bump known as 'whitehead' and if the blockage is above the skin and black discolouration occurs,it's known as 'blackhead'. This might be a result of the melanin in dead cells reacting with oxygen creating a black colour. We get the most pimples when we are teens because of increased amount of androgen hormones like testosterone. Testosterone sends the production of sebum into the overdrive,thereby increasing the incidence of blockages. 

Cortisol,the stress hormone,increases the amount of inflammation in our body AKA more red bumps on our face and can also suppress our immune system,which means our body can't fight the bacteria that causes acne. 

So how do we get rid of these pimples? 

For normal breakouts,cleaning our face to remove excess oil which prevents pore blockage and occasionally exfoliating to remove dead skin will help,although acne cannot often be solved this way. Cleanliness and diet do not play a major role in acne,but rather our genetics and hormones. Many drugs like benzoyl peroxide do exist which kill specific acne causing bacteria,salicyclic acid which helps in removing dead skin blockages,retinoids which reduce sebum production and a variety of others,though some drugs can have severe side effects. New therapies and cure may be on the horizon with science! By studying people who do not get acne,the bacteria that causes acne will mostly still exist on their skin,but maybe in a different strain. The same bacteria with slightly different genes causes healthier skin. 

Future therapies may include a deeper look at the bacterial level...