Page 68 - (DK) Help Your Kids with Growing Up: A No-Nonsense Guide to Puberty and Adolescence
P. 68
66 HEALTH Y BOD Y
Spots SEE ALSO
‹
‹ 60–61 Keeping clean
62–63 Sweat and smells
Spots occur when dead skin cells and oil clog the pores of the skin. Healthy eating 68–69 ›
Also known as acne or zits, spots can make teens feel self-conscious, Body image 72–73 ›
but they are a normal part of growing up.
Acne
Acne is the umbrella term for minor
outbreaks of blackheads, whiteheads,
Dead skin cells and
oil plug the pore. and other types of spot. Acne begins
when pores (hair follicles) get blocked
by dead skin cells and oil (sebum). It
Skin pigmentation
▷ Blackheads on the surface of a can help to know what type of acne a
When a plug of dead blackhead causes teen has in order to treat it effectively.
skin cells and oil clogs the dark spot.
up a pore, it is called a The sebaceous gland
blackhead. A blackhead secretes sebum, an MY TH BUSTER
is not filled with dirt – rather, Pore oil that lubricates the
the dark spot is caused by (hair follicle) hair and skin. The truth about spots
skin pigmentation. It can
contain bacteria. Poor diet doesn’t cause skin
problems. No foods cause acne, but
eating healthily can help to prevent it.
The pore is
sealed with skin. Spot aren’t caused by uncleanliness.
Spots start beneath the skin’s surface,
so aren’t caused by a lack of washing.
▷ Whiteheads
Whiteheads happen when Bacteria, which Menstruation may lead to spots.
a thin membrane of skin help keep the Changing hormone levels before
traps a plug of dead skin skin healthy, and during a period have only
also get trapped
cells, oil, and bacteria. They with dead skin a minor impact, but this tends to
can get bigger as the cells and oil. be temporary.
sebaceous gland continues
to produce oil, which builds
up underneath the skin.
The centre of the red Infection
bump fills with pus.
When bacteria build up in a blackhead
or whitehead, it can lead to infection.
▷ Pustules The body’s immune system then sends
These red bumps with a in white blood cells to attack the
pus-filled centre are what White blood infection, which causes the redness
most people think of when cells lead to and swelling that makes spots painful.
they think of acne. They inflammation. There are four types of spot that can
appear when there is an develop: papules, pustules, nodules,
infection of the pore, which Inflammation under and cysts. Papules and pustules are red
the skin makes
causes pus to form. the surface red bumps, with pustules having pus-filled
and sensitive.
tips. Nodules and cysts are larger and
form deep under the skin. Nodules are
solid, while cysts are liquid-filled.
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