# Blackheads, Zits & Pimples

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackheads-zits-pimples/54904>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackheads-zits-pimples/54904 "2001-02-17T19:27:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jeffism15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/53a042/32.png) [@Jeffism15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeffism15)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackheads-zits-pimples/54904/1 "2001-02-17T19:27:22Z")

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Looking in the mirror today, not unlike other days i peered deeply into the mirror to surprisingly noticed even at the distinguished age of 22 (haha)i STILL have blackheads. Granted, i know that regardless of one’s age i know that still can acquire zits & pimples, but you never see 30-something adults with blackheads. Do blackheads & only blackheads just disappear when a person reachs a certain age? And if this is true, than i guess i cannot wait until i achieve that privilege.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2001, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackheads-zits-pimples/54904/2 "2001-02-17T19:50:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Do blackheads & only blackheads just disappear when a person reachs a certain age?

A lot of it depends upon what bundle of genes you inherit. In my case (and I’m 40), the answer is “no.” Luckily, I didn’t inherit the kind of acne that causes the really large scarring breakouts. Mine are usually pretty small, although some do get larger.

I do remember (I can’t forget) the first significant zit I ever had. It showed right up on the bridge of the nose. I remember my father saying “Don’t mess with it–it might cause a scar” He had had very bad acne as a teen. I didn’t–and it grew and grew and grew until one day it went :POP: all by itself. I gladly would have traded the smaller scar for the one I ended up with, and still have 25 years later.

I _never_ made that mistake again, and I suspect that I will always have a nice variety of skin blemishes (zits, blackheads, whiteheads, blocked follicles, etc) to pop for the rest of my life.