Zit, pimple, cyst — they’re all different, and they’re all normal.

But understanding the difference between each kind of red bump can help get to the bottom (ahem) of why they arise across the body.

Class is now in session.

Whiteheads

When a follicle below the skin has been clogged, these white bumps appear on the surface. They are also known as closed comedones and can arise from the use of comedogenic skin care products (the ones that help with blackheads). 

Blackheads

These are the open comedones, and are the next stage of a whitehead. While the former is below the surface, the blackhead appears when the follicle rises to the surface and opens up. The contents of the clogged comedones, on exposure to air, darken and appear black.  

Papules

Cute name, not cute IRL. These are pink bumps that pop up around a hair follicle. Small, hard, and superficial compared to cystic acne, the tenderness of these bumps is similar to nodules and cystic acne.

Pustules

This is actually what people mean when they say pimple. A pustule is the classic pus-filled, infected, reddened papule that arises from an infection of a hair follicle.

Nodules

Nodules are no-joke. They can cause tissue damage from swelling of the skin, and are essentially inflamed hair follicles. They’re the large, painful type.

Cysts

The Bowser-Boss of acne. Cystic acne is a tender, painful, pus-filled deep pimple that is infected by bacteria. The infection and inflammation around a hair follicle runs quite deep, meaning that there is a higher likelihood of scarring.

Now that you’re across the types, how do we get rid of them?

A few things can bring them on:

1. Hormones. Going through puberty? About to have a baby? Noticing a few zits on your chest that won’t quit? You can thank your hormones for that. 
2. Food. Some foods can trigger breakouts in some babes, like dairy. 
3. Stress. Which can cause pimples. Which can cause more stress. Oh no, babe.
4. Genetics. There’s a high chance you got it from your mumma.

How to treat body pimples and acne:

1. Get rid of dead skin with my Glycolic Body Scrub.
   Glycolic acid clears out the spot-causing stuff in your pores, and my exfoliating pumice buffs it down the drain. This combination of chemical and physical exfoliation delivers results (so you never have to fake it). Witch hazel and niacinamide soothe, calm, and tighten pores to help reduce acne and redness.
2. Double the active with my Smoothing AHA Body Lotion.
   Two types of gentle chemical exfoliants that gobble up the top layer of dead cells to reveal clearer, more plump skin. Like two peas in a pod, these alpha hydroxy acids (aka, AHAs) work better together to exfoliate, hydrate, and help firm.

As always babe, I’m here to support you. But if you’re ever unsure, you should always consult with your doctor or dermatologist.