What You Can Do About Your Blackheads?

Now our article starts…..

You’ve woken up one morning and find you have blackheads all over your nose. Ahhhh! Now what?

Well, don’t fret, just read this article and educate yourself about what you can do. Then go and talk to a trained professional (beautician or dermatologist) to get some more advice. Once you are fully informed you can make an educated decision about the choices available to you to sort out your blackheads. 

What are blackheads?

Blackheads are a specific type of acne. They form little bumps in the skin that are full of dead skin cells and oils. 

Why do blackheads appear dark?

Blackheads appear dark because the air oxidises the dead skin cells in the blackhead giving the blackhead its dark appearance. 

What can cause blackheads?

There are many reasons why you can get blackheads. They are:

1. Your hair follicles are irritated 
2. Your dead skin cells are not shedding.
3. Your sebaceous oil glands in your hair follicles are over producing oil called sebum.
4. Your sebaceous glands in your skin are clogged.
5. There is acne causing bacteria on your skin.
6. Your body is producing more growth and reproductive hormones called androgens than normal.

How can you remove your blackheads?

There are many ways you can remove your blackheads and they are:

1. Let a trained beautician, dermatologist or therapist extract blackheads for you. It is best to let a trained individual do this rather than do it yourself in case you scar your skin.
2. Let a trained beautician, dermatologist or therapist give you a chemical peel. It is best to let a trained individual do this rather than do it yourself..
3. Use an exfoliating product containing glycolic acid which helps remove blackheads and dead skin cells.
4. Use a facial wash or cleanser with salicylic acid (2% – 4%). The salicylic helps unclog pores. 
5. Use a beauty product with retinoid. The retinoid will encourage the formation of new skin cells and stop dead skin cells getting caught in pores and bumps of the skin.
6. Gently use a skin brush with your cleansing facial wash. This will remove excess dead skin cells.  
7. You can use a clay mask that contains sulphur. This will break down dead skin cells and take out excess oils and toxins in the skin thus removing blackheads. 
8. You can also use a charcoal mask. This will remove toxins, impurities, dead skin cells and excess oils from the skin.

Is there anything you can do to stop blackheads from appearing?

Yes there are:

1. Exfoliate your skin once or twice a week to remove dead cells and stop them accumulating on your skin.
2. Cleanse your face regularly especially after sweating and before bed.
3. Try to reduce the number of times you touch your face because your fingers contain bacteria and oil and you can transfer these to your face.
4. Use make-up and beauty products that are specifically designed not to clog pores. These are called noncomedogenic products.
5. Avoid thick, heavy and oily beauty products. 
6. Use a moisturiser with retinoid in it. The retinoid will stop the dead skin cells from accumulating inside the pores of your skin. 
7. Remove make-up before you sleep.

Is it wise to squeeze, pop, pick or scratch a blackhead?

Not at all. Squeezing, popping, picking or scratching a blackhead can cause scarring.