Pimple or acne is quite common for boys and girls when they reach adolescence. Sex hormones become active during puberty giving rise to secondary sexual characters like broken voice, hairs in armpits and genitals. The sebaceous glands in our body become active to produce more of sebum (an oily fluid). These glands are spread throughout your body but are prominent on your face, scalp and chest region. This would result in excess of secretion of sebum blocking the tiny pores of the glands. The skin on that area becomes inflamed forming pimple. It is common for the bacteria to grow on the gland which has plenty of moisture. This would cause infected pimple which is painful and swollen.
Symptoms :
An infected pimple becomes filled with pus like fluid and is red in color. Whiteheads are tiny white spots on the face and neck region which are nothing but closed comedones. Once a pimple is formed due to skin inflammation bacteria and other micro-organisms would thrive on it causing infection. Infected pimples are tiny pus filled blisters largely found in your cheeks and nose. They look swollen and are painful. It can be itchy tempting you to prick the pimples. But this would worsen the condition leading to spreading of pimples in multifold.
Causes :
The main cause of pimple is excess of oily secretion called sebum by the glands of the skin. The skin normally sheds off its dead cells giving rise to new ones. However when the pores of the glands are clogged up due to excess of sebum the skin on that area develops inflammation forming a pimple. The pimples get infected when there is bacterial growth on the dead cells of the pores. It is the propionebacterium that is responsible for causing infection on the pimples.
Puberty is another cause for the formation of pimples. There would be excess of hormone secretion like testosterone which triggers sebum to become overactive. Certain drugs like lithium or corticosteroids can trigger pimple formation if you take them for prolonged period. For some people taking dairy products and excess of carbohydrate in diet can trigger acne or pimple. Pimples are formed even on adult women who use contraceptives to prevent pregnancy. Teenage girls will get fresh pimples on their face few days before the onset of monthly periods.