subject: Getting Rid Of Blackheads Is Possible With Persistence [print this page] Do you have blackheads that bug you? Maybe you have a lot of them on your skin, the sides of your nose or on your chin? Maybe not? Why not live without blackheads at all if possible?
Lets begin with what blackheads are and then move on to other important questions about blackheads.
What is a blackhead?
A blackhead is not a pore filled with dirt and scum. There are a number of myths about acne and pimples like this one. Blackheads form when a hair follicle gets clogged with sebum and dead skin cells. The darkening of the pore is not caused by dirt. The oil and skin in the pore comes in contact with oxygen and darkens through oxidation. A whitehead is just a blackhead that was covered with enough skin that it never came in touch with the air to oxidize.
What causes a blackhead?
1. It is a combination of excess sebum and dead skin that fills a hair follicle and turns dark with the oxidative action of the air.
2. Some things people use on their skin like soaps and cosmetics can leave a film on their skin, which clogs pores and follicles.
What causes excess sebum?
Hormones. The hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. These are naturally occurring hormones that make acne worse especially during puberty. It has also been proven that stress and sexual activity causes an elevation in hormones that cause sebum production. There are scientists that believe that a larger consumption of sugar and fried foods will increase the oil in the skin but at this time it is inconclusive. You will also want to seriously consider removing dairy products from your diet. Dairy contains hormones that increase sebum production like the human hormones.
How to prevent blackheads
Medication - Many younger people find their best solution to be medications. A number of 3-part acne packages are available but there really is no "one stop product". Genetics and heredity make each one of us different. It may be the case that you need to try a few things until you know what works best for you. If you make the choice to use a prescription medication it is best to practice all the other things as well to improve your skin. Medications like Adapalene, Tretinoin and some birth control medications are used for the prevention of forms of Acne Vulgaris.
Washing - Do not use bar soap or heavy cosmetics that can clog the hair follicles. Do not rub the skin too much since this can dry the skin signaling to the body to increase the lubrication to the skin.
Exfoliation - You can find over the counter products that are formulated to remove the top layers of skin that are just dead cells that can plug pores and follicles. Salicylic acid and (AHA) Alpha Hydroxy Acids can be found in stores as an over the counter product.
How to remove a blackhead
Vacuum and Extractors - Syringe modeled apparatus units "suck" the blackhead from the pore or hair follicle but they do not work well. It is also possible that it may irritate the skin.
Pore strips - The strips used to clear pores have a lot of negative comments on them online and so I do not want to recommend them. Feedback from users ranges from good experiences with them. If you search very far you will find some bizarre stories about using them.
Squeeze blackheads - It is never recommended that you squeeze any acne. It is possible to cause more damage if your squeezing irritates any of the surrounding tissues and an infection or inflammation spreads. Blackheads don't have the infection and inflammation like an acne lesion but you should be careful. Begin with an exfoliant to slough away dead skin. Then use a warm cloth on your skin to soften the blackhead and enlarge the pore. Squeeze ever so carefully to avoid any skin damage. Never squeeze acne!
The best solution of course is to reduce the amount of sebum produced. Various ways to less the body's production of sebum has been mentioned. Remove dairy, fatty foods and sugar from the diet, learn to cope with stress and be moderate in all areas of your life.
There are good acne systems that address acne by vitamin and herbal supplementation as well as using creams to treat the skin each day. A number of these systems have real good feedback from the customers that keep ordering. Getting rid of blackheads is not an impossibility but will require from you persistence and consistency.
