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pimple

 
Dictionary: pim·ple   (pĭm'pəl) pronunciation
 
n.

A small swelling of the skin, usually caused by acne; a papule or pustule.

[Middle English.]

pimpled pim'pled or pim'ply adj.
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pimple, small pointed elevation of the skin that may or may not contain pus. The formation of pimples is frequently associated with infection, irritation, or overactivity of the sebaceous and sweat glands. Repeated eruptions of pimples are often termed acne.


 

An elevated inflamed lesion about 0.5 inch diameter, raised above the skin surface, with a necrotic center which commonly points and bursts.

 
Wikipedia: Pimple
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Pimple
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 R23.8
ICD-9 709.8

A pimple is a result of a blockage of the skin's pore. It can be a pustule or papule.[1]

Contents

Causes

Inside the pore are sebaceous glands which produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed (as they do continuously), the dead skin cells left behind may become 'glued' together by the sebum. This causes a blockage in the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty.[2] The sebaceous glands produce more sebum which builds up behind the blockage, and this sebum harbours various bacteria including the species Propionibacterium acnes.

Treatment

Over-the-counter medications

Common over-the-counter medications for pimples are benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid. Both medications can be found in many creams and gels used to treat acne through topical application. Both medications help skin slough off more easily, which helps to remove bacteria faster. A regimen of keeping the affected skin area clean plus the regular application of these topical medications is usually enough to keep acne under control, if not at bay altogether. 1-2% of the population is allergic to benzoyl peroxide treatments.

Prescription medication

Severe acne usually indicates the necessity of prescription medication to treat pimples. Prescription medications used to treat acne include isotretinoin, which is a retinoid. Historically, antibiotics such as tetracyclines and erythromycin were prescribed. While they were more effective than topical applications of benzoyl peroxide, the bacteria eventually grew resistant to the antibiotics and the treatments became less and less effective. Also, antibiotics had more side effects than topical applications, such as stomach cramps and severe discoloration of teeth.

See also

References

  1. ^ pimple at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  2. ^ Anderson, Laurence. 2006. Looking Good, the Australian guide to skin care, cosmetic medicine and cosmetic surgery. AMPCo. Sydney. ISBN 0 85557 044 X.

 
Translations: Pimple
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - filipens, knop

Nederlands (Dutch)
puistje

Français (French)
n. - bouton

Deutsch (German)
n. - Pustel, Pickel

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ιατρ.) βλατίδα (κν. σπιθούρι, εξάνθημα, ακμή, μπιμπίκι)

Italiano (Italian)
foruncolo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - espinha de pele (f), borbulha (f)

Русский (Russian)
прыщ

Español (Spanish)
n. - grano, granito, espinilla, comedón

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - finne, blemma

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
丘疹, 疙瘩, 面泡

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 丘疹, 疙瘩, 面泡

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 여드름

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - にきび, 小さなもの

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) بثرة, نقطه ما‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פצעון, חטט, אבעבועה‬


 
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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pimple" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

 

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