Acne, pimples, blemishes, blackheads, and whiteheads are inflammations of the hair follicle-sweat gland unit of the skin. It is usually caused by bacteria found on the skin predominately staph and step species. The cause of acne is a bacterium named Proprionbacterium acnes. These bacteria normally live on the skin in sebum around the hair follicle and when a pore becomes plugged these bacteria are trapped and begin to multiply causing inflammation that results in pimples, blemishes, and acne lesions.