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Scientific American

November 21, 2011

Video: The physiology of acne and the chemistry of acne medication.

By Michelle Clement

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Here's another great video from ByteSizeScience from the ChemMatters series called "The Chemistry of Acne":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy6KX5bZOg0

This video describes the physiology behind how pimples form. In short, excess sebum (or skin oil) clogs a pore and traps dead skin cells inside. Bacteria proliferate inside the pore to feed on the trapped skin cells. White blood cells migrate to the pore to fight the bacterial infection, and the mix of dead skin, white blood cells, and bacteria form the pus core of the pimple. The video also has a great explanation of the chemistry behind how benzoyl peroxide fights the acne-causing bacteria.

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Image credit: NIH, via Wikimedia Commons.

"Life creates [the Force], makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter," Yoda explains in The Empire Strikes Back, gesturing to Luke's physical body. This quote is striking because of the apt juxtaposition of the wonder of life with its often disgusting vessel. Like many other animals, we secrete, excrete, expectorate, defecate, flatulate, regurgitate, urinate, circulate, masticate, menstruate, ejaculate, and ventilate. We are filled with gas and feces and blood and guts and mucus and any number of rude things. Life as we know it is possible because of the countless impolite things we do every day. Are we luminous beings? Perhaps, but that's neither here nor there. This blog is about the crude matter that keeps us alive.

Michelle Clement has a B.Sc. in zoology (with a minor in American culture studies) and a M.Sc. in organismal biology from The Ohio State University. Her thesis research was on the ecophysiology of epidermal lipids and water homeostasis in house sparrows. She now works as a technical editor for The American Chemical Society. Her broader interests include weird human and animal physiology, obesity and enteric physiology, endocrinology, sexual and reproductive health, personal genomics, anthropology (physical and cultural), sociology, and science education and communication. She lives in Ohio with her boyfriend and two cats.

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