Why Does Acne Feel Deeper Under the Skin
Have you ever pressed on a bump on your face and felt a sharp ache that seems to come from way below the surface? That deep sensation is often cystic or nodular acne, which forms far beneath the skin’s top layer. Unlike surface pimples that pop up quickly, these start their trouble deep in the pores long before you notice them.
It all begins inside your skin’s pores, those tiny holes where hair grows and oil comes out. Your skin makes sebum, a natural oil to keep things moist. When too much sebum mixes with dead skin cells, it clogs the pore deep down. Bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, which live on your skin, get trapped in there too. This clog turns into a blockage that sits in the dermis, the thicker middle layer of your skin. The result is swelling and inflammation that pushes against nerves, making it hurt when you touch it.
This process takes time, often 8 to 12 weeks or more. Hormones kick it off by telling oil glands to work overtime, especially during puberty, monthly cycles, stress, or pregnancy. Genetics can make you more prone if your family had bad acne. Diet plays a part too, with sugary foods or dairy ramping up oil and swelling for some people. Stress raises cortisol, a hormone that boosts oil even more.
These deep bumps feel tender and swollen because the infection and pus build up below the surface, not on top like whiteheads or blackheads. You might see a red mark or nothing at all at first, but the pain gives it away. Squeezing them makes it worse, spreading bacteria and causing scars.
In milder acne, clogs stay shallow and heal fast. But in cystic types, the blockage ruptures deeper, leading to those painful nodules that linger for weeks. They often hit the chin, jaw, or cheeks, spots rich in oil glands.
Sources
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https://www.doctorrogers.com/blogs/blog/acne-pimples-101-why-we-break-out-what-s-actually-going-on-and-how-to-handle-it-like-a-dermatologist
https://www.smallbatchserums.com/blogs/blog-post-2/what-causes-cystic-acne-on-the-chin-and-how-to-treat-it
https://naturalimageskincenter.com/common-misconceptions-about-bacterial-acne-how-to-identify-it-correctly/
https://www.vinmec.com/eng/blog/differentiate-common-pimples-and-skin-cancer-en
https://www.drbatras.com/skin-diseases/acne/types
https://renotahoederm.com/when-its-time-to-see-a-dermatologist-for-acne-in-reno-nv/
