Sometimes the tried and true methods for eliminating acne don't work on particularly stubborn zits. Aside from over-the-counter applications, you might try home remedies using things you can find in your kitchen. Once you bring pimples to a head, it's hard to resist popping them.

Zits, or acne pimples or blemishes, are bacterial infections of the skin. They can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly appear on the face, neck, shoulders, back and chest. When popping the pus-filled center of a zit, you may damage or break the surrounding skin. This can lead to cuts and scars.

If you're a woman who's 35 years old, you probably thought you'd be done with acne by now. But you probably didn't realize that acne -- pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and inflammation -- affects about half of all adult women at some point in their lives, according to the website Acne.org.

Pimples pop up whether you're 13 or 35 -- and rarely do they go away overnight. No matter how hard you try to push the pimple party away, there will always be a few headstrong pustules that don't want to leave.

If there were a Murphy's Law for skin, it would be that a pimple always surfaces on your face just in time for a special occasion. Various factors can give rise to blackheads, whiteheads and pustules, including diet, cosmetics, stress, hormonal changes, inadequate rest and excessive oil.

If you are over the age of 55, you might assume you can't get acne, but that's not true. Older people get acne just like teenagers. This is especially the case for menopausal women, who may be experiencing acne caused by hormone fluctuations, but both men and women over 55 can get acne.

Patients who have diabetes and acne often have difficulty getting their acne under control, and in some cases a bad case of acne can be one of the first visible signs of developing diabetes.

Physicians have used antibiotics to treat acne for more than four decades, with great success in clearing complexions in people with moderate and even severe pimples. But in some cases, the most common antibiotics no longer work well to fight acne, and doctors are forced to try alternatives.

The aloe vera plant is widely used as a treatment for skin conditions such as burns, minor abrasions and cuts. The leaves of the aloe plant, a member of the cactus family of plants, are cut and the gel inside is applied to areas to facilitate healing.

When little black dots speckle your nose, blackheads have likely taken over. Blackheads develop when oil gets trapped in the pores; when the oil is exposed to the air, it oxidizes and turns black. This can happen with any type of skin, but blackheads do occur more with oily skin.

It can be complicated enough dealing with acne on your face, but dealing with blemishes on your back can bring heightened levels of embarrassment and distress. If you're African-American, blemishes on your back can leave unsightly pigmentation issues and even scars if not treated carefully.

Most people have some experience with acne. Some suffer from only an occasional blemish or breakout. Others suffer from chronic acne with varying severity. At the first sign of acne, many people purchase over-the-counter, or OTC, products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.