Skin pore problems may present themselves in a variety of ways, one of the most common being acne flare-ups. The skin is the largest organ in the body, and must be cared for properly to reduce skin problems or issues that cause not only physical manifestations but emotional side effects like embarrassment or lack of self esteem. Understanding a few of the types of skin pore problems can help you prevent and treat them.
Enlarged Pores
A common skin problems is enlarged pores, according to WomenFitness.com. Enlarged pores are commonly caused by too much sebum (oil) in the skin, which becomes trapped beneath the pores with nowhere to go, resulting in clogged pores that may create bumps, tender areas or dry and coarse skin. It's like a backed-up freeway with no exit ramps, leaving skin cells to stretch to accommodate the excess oil, often resulting in whiteheads or blackheads.
Whiteheads
Whiteheads are caused by blocked sebum in pores beneath the surface of the skin. Sebum that can't escape through the skin's surface hardens inside hair follicles in the deeper layers of the skin. Bits of this hardened sebum may escape a little at a time up through the blocked pore, resulting in a pimple with a small white spot on its tip.
BlackHeads
Blackheads are similar to whiteheads except that the blockages of sebum in the pores beneath the skin are usually a little closer to the surface. The dark color is caused by dead skin cells and pigmentation in the hair follicle. Blackheads are believed to cause acne, according to WomenFitness.net, as a result of infected oil glands trapped beneath the skin's surface.
Acne
Acne is the result of skin pores and hair follicles that have become infected, states Acne.net. Acne can consist of pimples, or bumps, as well as nodules, papules and cysts, in addition to whiteheads and blackheads.
A papule is a small, solid mass or lesion that raises above the surface of the skin but is not open, giving the skin a rough appearance. Pustules are bumps that contain pus, while a nodule in similar to a pustule, but one that is also surrounded by inflammation and redness.
