Pimple on the forehead: it's often acne
In France, the French Society of Dermatology (SFD) estimates that around 25% of adults suffer from acne: this mainly concerns women with acne breakouts which usually occur just before menstruation.
In addition to seborrhea (that is to say: the excessive production of sebum in the skin), adult acne can be linked to hormonal factors (an overproduction of androgenic hormones, for example, this is however rare), the presence of a bacterium responsible for an almost permanent skin inflammation (Cutibacterium acnes which proliferates in the pilosebaceous follicle) or even with an imbalance of the skin microbiome (therefore of the bacterial flora naturally present on the surface of the skin).
To know. Certain drug treatments can promote acne in adults – this is particularly the case with certain antidepressants or certain vitamins (vitamin B12, for example).
In women, acne pimples are mainly localized on the face – and in particular on the forehead, nose, wings of the nose and chin, this is the famous T zone. Pimples are inflammatory (red, swollen. ..) and can be accompanied by micro-cysts (black dots).
Pimple on the forehead: how to get rid of acne on the forehead?
First thing to know: it is important not to "strip" the skin of the forehead (with charcoal masks, for example), at the risk of seeing even more pimples – we speak of reactive hyper-seborrhea.
On the contrary, dermatologist Isabelle Gallay recommends cleaning the skin every day with a gentle product, without perfumes or preservatives: Marseille soap or Aleppo soap, for example. Rinsing and drying must be careful and we can finish our cosmetic routine with a spray of thermal water.
Trick. From time to time (for example: once a month), we can make a mask with green clay (to buy at a pharmacy) which will absorb the excess sebum, involved in adult acne.
" The doctor may prescribe specific products against acne, reassures us Dr. Gallay. He may also prescribe a local treatment with retinoic acid (to be applied once a week) to fight against micro-cysts. "Please note, this treatment is strictly prohibited for pregnant women.
Aromatherapy. In case of severe acne and only after medical advice, we can prepare this synergy of essential oils to be applied on the pimples with a cotton swab every day (morning and evening) for 3 weeks: 20 drops of Clou essential oil of Cloves, 20 drops of essential oil of Peppermint, 40 drops of essential oil of Lavender Aspic, 60 drops of essential oil of Tea Tree. Warning: this mixture is prohibited in cases of asthma, epilepsy, biliary, hepatic or cardiovascular disorders. (Source: La Compagnie des Sens)
Pimple on the forehead: beware of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma
Carcinoma is a skin cancer: each year, around 65,000 new cases are diagnosed in France, in particular after the age of 50. The main risk factor is exposure to the sun without protection.
The most common carcinoma (it represents 70% of cases) is basal cell carcinoma : it is characterized by the formation of a small pink pimple (on the face most often, sometimes on the forehead) which grows slowly and persists.
Four times less common than basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (or squamous cell carcinoma) appears as a small patch or erosion that can become a large pimple and evolves over a few months.
To know. As the French Society of Dermatology (SFD) explains, " Basal cell carcinomas are tumors which have only a local malignancy, they do not produce metastases, neither in the lymph nodes, nor at a distance. If left to evolve for a long time, without treating them, they can develop in depth and invade the tissues that are under the skin, a muscle, a bone or even the organ that is under the skin lesion: this remains however rare. . The carcinoma Squamous cell is on the contrary a tumor capable of generating metastases in the lymph nodes or in distant organs (lungs in particular) ".
The diagnosis of carcinoma is made by the dermatologist: the doctor can (for example) perform a biopsy, that is to say take a sample of the lesion for analysis. The carcinoma can then be removed by surgery, eliminated by radiotherapy or even cryotherapy.
Thanks to Dr. Isabelle Gallay, dermatologist in Dijon (21) and Vice President of SNDV (National Union of Dermatology Venerology).
Read also :
“Pimple in the nose: how to get rid of it?
"Pimple in the ear: how to get rid of it?
⋙ Red patch on the face: where does it come from and how to get rid of it?