Dealing with pimples can be frustrating, but they are a natural part of the skin’s healing process. Pimples, or acne vulgaris, are common skin lesions on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders (per Yale). They usually appear as small red bumps, pustules, or cysts. Pimples occur when the hair follicles and oil glands become clogged, which can happen for various reasons, such as excess sebum (skin oil), dead skin cells, makeup, or pollutants.
Although it may be uncomfortable, this immune response is essential to healing. The body’s immune system aims to combat the bacterial infection and clear the obstruction, ultimately healing the skin. Pus-filled pimples are a direct response to the immune system’s action. Pus contains white blood cells, bacteria, and tissue debris, explains Medline Plus and is a sign that the body’s healing process is underway. It’s the body’s way of recruiting immune cells to the site of infection, increasing blood flow, and accelerating the repair process.