Well, zit is a slang term for a pimple. The informal terms whitehead and blackhead are used to refer to specific kinds of zits. Technical terms for types of zits include pustule and papule.
Zits are the same as pimples. The words are interchangeable. They both describe the visible symptoms of the skin condition acne. So why two words?
That can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollen and infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring. "It's best to let a pimple run through its life span," Rice says. Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
Pimples are raised red spots with a white center that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected with bacteria.
Squeezing can push bacteria and pus deeper into the skin, which might cause more swelling and redness. Squeezing also can lead to scabs and might leave you with permanent pits or scars. Because popping isn't the way to go, patience is the key.
Milia look like acne, but they are not the same. They are common on the face. Milia can last a long time, but they are harmless.
Soak a clean washcloth in water that is hot, but not too hot to touch. Apply the warm compress. Hold the warm compress on the blind pimple for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the application three to four times a day until the blind pimple comes to a head and releases the pus.
What is nodular acne? Nodular acne is a severe type of acne. It causes hard lumps or knots (nodules) to develop deep under your skin.
Pustules are a type of pimple that contains yellowish pus. They are larger than whiteheads and blackheads. Pustules appear either as red bumps with white centers or as white bumps that are hard and often tender to the touch. In many cases, the skin around the pustules is red or inflamed.
Whiteheads occur when these contents aren't exposed to the air. The 'white stuff' that comes out of a blackhead or more commonly in pimples is pus.
While waiting is never fun, it's worth it when it comes to pimple-popping. Basically, what happens if you don't pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days. It may happen that you wake up one morning and notice the pimple is gone. Or you may notice the pimple draining.
How long do pimples last? Pimples usually last between three and seven days. Most pimples go away on their own, but it may take some time. Deep pimples (pimples under your skin with no head that may feel hard to the touch) may take a few weeks to go away, if not longer.
Some whiteheads or blackheads start out as blind pimples and move up through the layers of skin to the surface. A red bump may appear, and a “head” can develop at the center. The head is usually yellow, white or black.
Sound familiar? It's likely a blind pimple. “Blind acne, or underground acne, gets its name because these pimples are not at the surface and largely occur under the surface of the skin,” says Zenovia Gabriel, MD, a dermatologist, hormonal skin expert, and the founder of Dr. Zenovia Skincare.
"Clear fluid is just oedema – fluid that accumulates in the area due to redness and swelling. It is not pus, and it is not an infection."
You should never pop a pimple that does not have a whitehead or is deep under the skin. Deep inflamed acne can be due to nodular breakouts or cysts and should not be squeezed. The core of the pimple is too deep under the skin to pop without causing trauma to the surrounding tissue.
“In some cases, blind pimples may go away in a few days, but in others, they last several weeks,” says Dr. Zeichner. Treating them properly can help shorten the time blind pimples stick around.
Hard bumps on your face that won't pop can be caused by many things. White bumps called milia are the most common cause, but hard bumps can also be from closed pores, cysts, keratoses, skin cancer, and more. These white bumps can appear on your face under your eyes, on your cheek, forehead, chin, or nose.
Acne papules are small, inflamed bumps caused by excess oil in your skin, bacteria, hormones and some medications. They don't have a pus-filled tip like other forms of acne.
Milia are tiny, hard white bumps that appear on your skin. Anyone can get them on any part of the body, but they most often happen on infants' faces. They are harmless and painless and usually disappear on their own after a few weeks.
Bacteria can enter the skin pores and get trapped along with the oil and skin cells. The skin reaction causes swelling deep in the skin's middle layer (the dermis). This infected, red, swollen lump is an acne cyst.