# Zit question: what are these things? (TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621 "2005-01-13T23:41:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/1 "2005-01-13T23:41:32Z")
Until today I had this thing growing just beneath my jawbone that was getting to be akin to a second head. Today I gave it a rather gentle squeeze (yes, I know you’re not supposed to do that), and its contents exploded onto my index finger. Among the blood and serum was a solid, yellow-white, rootlike lump, about 2x1 millimeters. It wasn’t a blackhead, but instead consisted only of pus. I’ve had these things before, and I’ve always wondered what exactly they are. Why would the pus solidify like that rather than remaining a fluid. Is it a result of there being so much crap built up in there? Is it like a scab? What’s the deal? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/2 "2005-01-14T02:05:37Z")
Well, I always figured that that was the “root” cause of the zit - the grease that has hardened in the pore, blocking it and causing the problems below. Kind of an extension of a common or garden blackhead, or “[comedo](http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/comedo)” if you want to get technical. Although quite what tips them over the edge from a blackhead, which will sit there quite happily, to a volcanic eruption, I do not know. Is there a zit doctor in the house? ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/3 "2005-01-14T03:13:06Z")
IANAZD, but I just read a book about zits. Yes, it’s a comedo, that’s true, and a comedo is caused by debris such as sebum, dead skin cells and tiny chips of hair that get trapped inside the folicle and build up. Since your skin keeps producing more sebum and skin cells, if they don’t flow out of the pore in a normal way they do build up, harden and turn into that waxy plug. If the pore opening isn’t big enough for air to get in and turn it into a blackhead, it is a closed comedo. What makes it into a zit, is the acne bacteria that they talk about in zit creme commercials. That’s what benzoyl peroxide is supposed to control. It’s called p.acnes or something (sorry.) It causes the inflamation, redness and swelling, pussiness. If a lot of matter builds up, and it is too deep to escape through the pore opening, it sort of explodes inwards, and the pore lining is damaged and there is even more redness and swelling ie. underground zit! That’s why they say not to try to rupture it by applying pressure. You are more likely to make it “pop” inside, which of course, is disgusting. It will take longer to heal. That’s why sometimes no matter how hard you try you can’t pop the zit. Another source of zits isn’t acne, but picking at the comedos and getting staph from under your fingernails into the picture. That can turn a regular comedo into a zit, but that’s not the same as the acne bacteria zit. They can end up the same, but they weren’t caused the same way. The long story short is that that stuff is sebum, which I believe starts out in that waxy state and is meant to sort of melt out onto the skin\*, but gets impeded on its way out by debris such as dirt and hair and dead skin cells. That is the recipe. (\*I’m not 100% sure that sebum starts out more solid, I got that information from a book about makeup. I’m not 100% sure on any of this, only about 98%. I took the book back to the library. I’m remembering.) ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/4 "2005-01-14T03:18:23Z")
Heh, that was really long but the other thing is that because the plug is make out of various ingredients, it can be quite solid. Sometimes only pus comes out of a zit when it ruptures, and the comedo stays inside. The whole thing heals, but he comedo is still in there. Then one day down the line, boom, it turns into a zit again. That’s when you name it. If the comedo comes out, that’s good, maybe the pore will heal and become more normal in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/5 "2005-01-14T06:42:26Z")
Actually, **pokey** , if memory serves, the most important reason you don’t want to pop zits is because the venous drainage of the head could spread the infection to one of the sinuses in the brain. The specifics elude me, and I sent my anatomy books back home and wikipedia isn’t very forthcoming on ths subject, so I can’t verify at the moment. Take that at face value or perhaps use other references to investigate yourself, if you can. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/6 "2005-01-14T11:59:37Z")
Does the core have a buttery texture or a gritty, chalky texture? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/7 "2005-01-14T14:02:52Z")
> [@Enola Straight](#): > > Does the core have a buttery texture or a gritty, chalky texture? Yeah, and how about the flavour? Re: what **Khan** said, I remember from a recent thread that infection of the _mumble_ sinus can be a problem if the zit in question is in the area under the eyes, as the sinus is close to the surface there. My connection is not strong enough to trouble the hamsters at the moment, but do a search from the last month or two and you should find it… (actually it might be older than that - I think I came across it while searching for “sinuses”…) ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/8 "2005-01-14T15:55:08Z")
Sweetness, a zit thread! **pokey** , may I ask what was the title of the book you got this from? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/9 "2005-01-14T15:59:59Z")
You guys sure it’s not an egg? One really cool thing is to massage the white worms out of facial pores–usually on and around the nose–is that gunk just sebum that will flow on its own eventually? Or is it primordial comedo? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/10 "2005-01-14T16:05:10Z")
Could you try pan-frying it and get back to us with the results? ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/11 "2005-01-14T16:11:26Z")
From my experience, **Inigo** , those are more akin to tiny blackheads. As interesting as it is to do that, however, I find that maybe one or two regular pimples break out in the area a couple days after I do that. And the texture of the _entity_ I extracted yesterday is more like really brittle, crumbly cheese more than anything else. It breaks up into greasy little granules moreso than smearing, as does the substance Inigo mentioned. … Helluva topic we’ve got going here, eh? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/12 "2005-01-14T16:17:14Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Could you try pan-frying it and get back to us with the results? Wasn’t there a thread starring **Mangeorge** about that…“Pan-Fried Sebum” or something? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/13 "2005-01-14T16:25:57Z")
Yes, _something_ like that. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/14 "2005-01-14T17:31:57Z")
**Khan** - I once had to sit through a lecture by my professor of anatomy about why you should never squeeze acne on your nose, cheek or chin. She had a patient in the past who developed a brain abcess and died because the bacteria spread into the brain. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/15 "2005-01-18T05:08:58Z")
> [@EmeraldGrue](#): > > Sweetness, a zit thread! > **pokey** , may I ask what was the title of the book you got this from? Sorry to bump this gross zit thread. I didn’t realize you asked, EmeraleGrue. It is [Breaking Out](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743236238/qid=1106024861/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-9587700-3435209?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). It isn’t anything groundbreaking, but I always read every book I see about acne, and “how a zit is born” is a story I have heard many times since grade 7, but, to be honest, my whole life it seemed like a dumb and senseless story. One thing it points out that I agree is really interesting, and is one reason I never really bought that “life-cycle of a zit” story: why is it that you have all the ingredients for acne in every pore in your face, yet you usually only get a certain number of zits at a time? If you think about it, it’s a mystery, and doctors don’t know why either. True that some people do get lots and lots at a time, but take the typical person with acne, he probably has a few zits at all times, some coming some going, sometimes more. Why not always more? Why not every single pore? What makes some of them survive? Why don’t all the zits show up at once? If that’s what causes a zit, why is there only one zit on my oily and bacteria-laden forehead? The book doesn’t answer that, but at least acknowledges that the story of the zit is often totally over-simplified. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/16 "2005-01-18T05:27:40Z")
What I could never figure out (thinking back to my teenage zenith of zit productivity) is how zits _knew_ to emerge at moments of greatest emotional vulnerability? You know-you finally get up the nerve to ask out Suzy, she says yes, Saturday morning your face is clear, yet at 5:42PM your face is displaying conditions that makes a dermatologist call for a consult. :eek: Whyizzat? ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/17 "2005-01-18T05:41:59Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > What I could never figure out (thinking back to my teenage zenith of zit productivity) is how zits _knew_ to emerge at moments of greatest emotional vulnerability? You know-you finally get up the nerve to ask out Suzy, she says yes, Saturday morning your face is clear, yet at 5:42PM your face is displaying conditions that makes a dermatologist call for a consult. :eek: Whyizzat? Hm. I believe that acne can, in fact, be worsened by stress. But I don’t know on what scale. And yeah, that little talent of zits really sucks. ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/18 "2005-01-18T12:33:12Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Hm. I believe that acne can, in fact, be worsened by stress. [slight hijack] I used to get canker sores every month, jest before having to go to National Guard duty. Presumably because of elevated stress levels of having to go. I’m out now, and not surprisingly, I don’t get canker sores anymore. [/hijack] Also, I get really bad boils from eating Honey Buns :eek: Not sure if it’s the sugar or the honey. This is such a cool thread 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/19 "2005-01-18T12:35:27Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > You guys sure it’s not an egg? > > One really cool thing is to massage the white worms out of facial pores–usually on and around the nose–is that gunk just sebum that will flow on its own eventually? Or is it primordial comedo? Another Q… i have those things too… but i have 2 that never go away… same spot, same pore… they look like blackheads, but no matter how many times they the worms are squeezed out… they always come back in a couple weeks. ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621/20 "2005-01-18T12:36:51Z")
> [@jester21](#): > > Another Q… i have those things too… but i have 2 that never go away… same spot, same pore… they look like blackheads, but no matter how many times they the worms are squeezed out… they always come back in a couple weeks. Fogot to add the Q: So wut are they and why won’t they go away… and is there a way to MAKE them go away? TMI: On is on my neck/shoulder area and the other right below the pectoral. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zit-question-what-are-these-things-tmi/284621.md?page=2)