The technical term for an acne seed is a microcomedone. A microcomedone is a cluster of mostly dead skin cells that might be mixed with oil and comedogenic ingredients from pore-clogging products. It's called a micro-comedone because when it first forms, it is microscopic so it's invisible to the naked eye.
Blackheads, or open comedos, are clogged pores that are filled with dead skin cells and oil, not dirt or grime as myth may suggest. The blackish portion of a blackhead — aka the sesame seed — is due to the oxidation of the dead skin cells and oil when exposed to air.
Whiteheads
In white heads, the white seed blocks the top of the pimple and hence, they are also known as closed comedones. As they are sealed off from the rest of the skin, whiteheads are tougher to treat than other forms of acne.
The stuff you squeeze out of them is pus, which contains dead white blood cells.
The most common procedure for milia removal is de-roofing. Dermatologists use a sterile needle to remove the tiny flap of skin trapping the keratin flake inside the pore. They then squeeze or prick out the flake. A less-common practice is curettage, which is a form of electrosurgery.
Milia are small cysts that form on the skin. They are also known as "milk cysts." Milia form when a protein called keratin gets trapped under the skin. The tiny bumps look like whiteheads, but they are not acne. Unlike acne, they don't develop in a pore and are not red or inflamed.
When we have changes in hormone levels on a monthly basis, an increase in hormones can trigger increased oil production, increased risk of bacterial infection, and re-irritation of that pimple again. 'Sometimes these reoccurring pimples are cystic and come back because they never form a head to be extracted.
Blind pimples are acne that develops under the skin's surface. While the pimple isn't always noticeable, you can usually feel the lump. The area may be painful, or red and slightly inflamed. Blind pimples are most often caused by a cyst or nodule underneath the skin.
Eventually, the follicle should open enough to release the pus on its own, without you having to push or squeeze. “When you push that pus you compress it and it explodes, which leads to more swelling in your face,” says Finkelstein.
What are milia? Milia are small, bump-like cysts found under the skin. They are usually 1 to 2 millimeters (mm) in size. They form when skin flakes or keratin, a protein, become trapped under the skin.
Nazarian recommends exfoliating with topical medications, such as glycolic acid, retinoids, and salicylic acid, to break down the plugs and dissolve them.
A sebum plug is an infrequently used term for acne. These plugs occur when sebum (oil) from your sebaceous glands become trapped in your hair follicles. Dead skin cells and then inflammation creates acne lesions. Sebum plugs may come in the form of inflammatory acne, such as pustules and papules.
Think of a pimple as a little sack that holds oil, debris, and acne bacteria, says dermatologist Zakiya Rice, MD, an assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "What we call the pustule is actually keeping the bacteria nice and contained," she says.
This means that by touching, prodding, poking, or otherwise irritating pimples, you run the risk of introducing new bacteria to the skin. This can cause the pimple to become even more red, inflamed, or infected. In other words, you'll still have the pimple, rendering any attempts useless.
Never squeeze a blind pimple
Blind pimples are usually not positioned near the skin's surface, which means that they cannot be “popped” like whiteheads. Trying to pop a blind pimple can result in permanent scars, a more-noticeable pimple, the pimple becoming more painful, or an infection.
ICE THE OFFENDING SPOT! Most of the time when you discover a new blind pimple, it will still be small. Take this opportunity to ice it by holding a clean cold pack to the area for three rounds of five minutes on, ten minutes off. The cold will help to reduce inflammation and swelling.
Each follicle contains one hair and a sebaceous gland that produces oil. This oil, called sebum, helps keep your skin soft. Dead skin cells and oils collect in the opening to the skin follicle, producing a bump called a comedo. If the skin over the bump stays closed, the bump is called a whitehead.
Squeezing a pimple forces out a yellow liquid called pus. The trauma caused by the squeezing can also cause blood vessels underneath to burst, causing the pimple to fill with blood. Regular pimples occur when the skin's pores become clogged with bacteria, sweat, or dirt.
Can I pop a pimple if I can see the white part? It's tempting, but popping or squeezing a pimple won't necessarily get rid of the problem. Squeezing can push bacteria and pus deeper into the skin, which might cause more swelling and redness.
Signs and symptoms of a boil usually include: A painful, red bump that starts out small and can enlarge to more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) Reddish or purplish, swollen skin around the bump. An increase in the size of the bump over a few days as it fills with pus.
A sebum plug can look like a tiny bump under the surface of the skin or it may stick out through the skin like a grain of sand. When a sebum plug forms, bacteria that normally lives harmlessly on the surface of your skin can start to grow within the follicle. Inflammation follows, causing a breakout.
Sebaceous cysts are painless, soft lumps or bumps. They grow slowly just under your skin. They usually have a visible hole in the middle. It's called a central punctum.
Milia are harmless and, in most cases, they will eventually clear by themselves. In babies, they clear after a few weeks. However, in some people, milia can persist for months or sometimes longer. Secondary milia are sometimes permanent.
Typically, it's a quick and painless in-office procedure. Depending on the dermatologist, they get rid of the milia using a needle, comedone extractor or lancing tool.