Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Thursday Thirteen #144

THIRTEEN FACTS
ABOUT ZITS

Yes, I'm fixating on the one that stares back at me in the mirror. And when a thing is on my mind (or in this case, on my chin), it ends up on the Thursday Thirteen.

1) Whether it's a blackhead, a whitehead or a pimple, it started the same way -- as dead skin cells settling into a pore, made worse by oil.

2) Blackheads are small and usually flat. They are dark not because of dirt but because that's what happens to oil when exposed to the air.

3) Whiteheads tend to be raised bumps, white because of the sebum and dead skin cells collected there.

4) Pimples -- like the one ruining my life -- are blackheads gone bad. When a blackhead bursts and releases bacteria into the surrounding tissue, you get what I'm seeing in the mirror.

5) Scrubbing doesn't help prevent acne, since it begins below the skin's surface. Washing too often with a too-strong cleanser will only irritate your skin.

6) There's no credible, conclusive evidence that chocolate or caffeine cause acne. Of course, if cutting down on these foods helps reduce your breakouts, no reason not to do it!

7) There's even less evidence tying stress to acne. However it is believed the reverse is true -- that acne can cause stress.

8) Touching your face can be a factor. Not because your hands are dirty, but because touching can stimulate oil production.

9) Sunscreens do not necessarily cause zits. If you find that your skin is worse when you're slathering on the protection, try a different brand. Pimples come and go, but the impact of sun damage -- including carcinoma! -- is forever.

10) Oh yeah, and hormones'll do it to us, too. Hormones are powerful buggers, aren't they?

11) That could help explain why more women than men between 30 and 60 suffer from adult acne.

12) You can find over-the-counter treatments for your acne, which is not a surprise, since the skin care business is worth more than $40 billion dollars and continues to grow every year.

13) Benzoyl peroxide is most often recommended for teen acne, salicylic acid for adult acne. But a doctor can prescribe more sophisticated treatments to specifically target your problem.

Thanks to
WebMD for most of this information.


For more information about The Thursday Thirteen,
or to play along yourself, click here.

11 comments:

  1. Hi there,
    I am the worst kind of co-worker ( actually friend) as I will say to my friend when she has a tiny pimple, "What the hell happened to your face? Your pimple is the size of Mt. Vesuvius!" Which of course it's not, but I love her reaction.
    And yes, my pimples have been worse as an adult! Nice facts to share, now I have to go check my face.

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  2. Several bits here about my own acne problem I didn't know yet. Thanks. "Acne causes stress" True! Who wouldn't be stressed at expensive treatment. (No wonder my BIL, a dermatologist, is rich, agh!)

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  3. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Oh, this is just zitlicious. More than I really care to know but, still, acnelectible.

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  4. Sorry you're obsessing. I hope it heals soon and you can have your thoughts back! (((Clear Skin Vibes)))

    Happy T13,

    ~Xakara
    Foods For Breast Health

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  5. Lol. Yours is my first Thursday Thirteen read. I wasn't sure what to expect and was astonished to find myself reading about zits of all things.
    Then what I read made sense and was useful info and I know two people who will definitely enjoy reading this - my two mildly spotty teenage daughters!
    Some helpful advice in an easy to read format, thanks

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  6. I really need to be more awake to read this. The first few made my tummy do weird things lol
    Happy T13!

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  7. It's tough not to obsess about zits. Even worse when it seems that you never outgrow them!

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  8. Eek. I hope you are soon recovered from this pimple outbreak. I know you're not supposed to squeeze, but I always do.

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  9. 8. huh. so if you get massaged enough, you'd provide your own massage oil

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  10. I'm so glad to be an occasional hormonal Zit wearer these days.

    Enjoy the rest of your Thursday!
    http://harrietandfriends.com/2011/10/what-peeves-you-at-work/

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  11. Hope it clears up soon! Isn't a dab of toothpaste overnight supposed to make it go away? And didn't windex take care of it from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding??

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