Blackhead is a small bump on your skin. It is caused due to the oily skin, whereas whitehead is caused due to both oily and dry skin. There are millions of tiny pores in our skin. Many times the dead skin cells and excess oil produced by our skin clog some pores. When they react with the oxygen present in the air the pigments in the skin turn black on oxidation. This is how the blackheads form. People cannot easily spot blackheads on your face, unless they come very close to you.
Blackheads mostly occur on the nose or sides of nostrils, chin, and forehead and sometimes on the back and chest. So blackheads on the face usually occur in the T-zone area i.e. middle of the forehead nose and chin. This area produces more oil. Moreover it is very prone to dirt, irritants, etc. not only the top area of the nose is effected but the sides of the nostrils are the place where dirt, oil and dead skin cells can easily accumulate, and if we do not clean this area properly there will surely be many blackheads.
Blackheads on the chest and back are caused due to the accumulation of oil or body sweat, hormonal imbalance or changes and medication or genetics.
HOW TO REMOVE BLACKHEADS
Wash your face with mild face wash and then massage your skin gently with a face cleanser or scrub that contains mild benzoyl peroxide. It removes the dead skin and dirt. Further it exposes the blackheads and helps in breaking up the deep rooted blackheads, at the same time it is very mild to your skin.
Scrubbing will remove some of the blackheads but do not scrub hard as it may cause harm to your skin. Do not use any type of scrub if you have a bad acne problem.
Clean your face gently with a towel. After this, take steam on the face to soften the blackheads and to make the removal easy.
Now you can easily take out the blackheads either using the blackhead removal stick or by squeezing. For squeezing pressurize the blackhead with the tips of your fingers, firstly in the downward direction from the sides of a blackhead and then push it upward so that it can easily come out of the pore. You can use a soft tissue or a clean cloth on the ends of fingers to avoid slipping because it may cause scar on your face. Soft pad can also be used instead of your fingers.
Another way to remove blackheads is to use a metal stick specially made for this purpose. This stick has a small hole at its end. Clean and sterilize the stick properly before using. Now place the hole over the blackhead and apply gentle pressure. You will see blackhead coming out of the pore. Be very careful while applying pressure because the extra pressure may cause scars on the skin.
You can also use the blackhead remover mask. This will absorb the oil from the blackhead pores. Remove it after 10 minutes with lukewarm water. Apply some disinfectant or antiseptic cream on the area to avoid any type of infection.
Pore strips are also available in the market to remove blackheads. It is an easy way to remove blackheads from the nose, but at the same time it is not a permanent solution.
You just have to place the strip on your nose and wet it from outside. Remove the strip after 10 minutes; you will see a clear skin.
These strips can only remove the upper part of a blackhead and not the deep rooted part, which will cause the blackhead to appear on the skin after some time. Moreover it peels off some healthy skin. Regular use of pore strips may cause irritation.
Topical retinoid like retin A is very helpful in removing blackheads. It controls the oil secretion and opens the clogged pores. It is not a quick process and takes some weeks to get proper results. Use of topical retinoid makes your skin highly sensitive to the sun, and you may get dry, flaky and red skin.
Chemical peels with glycolic acid and using the products containing salicylic acid will clear up the pores by removing the dead skin cells and helps to stay away from the blackheads. Do not go for chemical peel if you are already being treated with the topical retinoid.
HOME REMEDIES TO REMOVE BLACKHEADS
Take equal amounts of baking soda and water, mix them to make the paste, massage your face gently with the paste, wash your face with lukewarm water, and you will notice some of the blackheads have gone.
Apply lemon juice on the effected area for two-three times a day and keep it for 10 to 15 minutes. It will tighten the pores and removes the blackheads.
You can also make a paste by mixing equal amounts of lemon juice and powdered cinnamon, or lemon juice and grounded pomegranate. Apply this paste on the effected areas before going to the bed and wash it off in the morning. This will give you a blackhead free skin.
Apply warm honey on the skin and rinse it off after 10 minutes it will help to remove blackheads. You can also mix one teaspoon of ground cinnamon with honey and make a paste. Apply this paste regularly on the effected area for two times a day until you get a clear blackhead free skin.
Make a paste of water and crushed fenugreek leaves. Apply this paste on your face and wash it off after 10-15 minutes with warm water. To get completely blackhead free skin, apply this paste every night before going to bed.
Apply a potato on the effected area, it will help to remove blackheads and also helps to get rid of wrinkles and whiteheads.
Prepare a mixture of half teaspoon of the turmeric powder and one teaspoon of the juice of coriander leaves. Apply this mixture before going to bed at night and wash it off the next morning with the cold water.
Apply the mixture of rose water and oatmeal powder to the effected area. Rinse it off after 15 minutes with cold water. This will help to minimize the blackheads on your skin.
SOME SIMPLE WAYS TO STAY AWAY FROM BLACKHEADS
The most important thing is to keep your skin clean and healthy. Do not use harsh soaps, creams and make-up products. Also remove make-up before going to the bed because the layer of make-up will clog the skin pores and may cause blackheads.
Exfoliate your skin after every two or three days to remove extra oil and dead skin cells from the pores.
Drink plenty of water because it helps to remove toxins from your body and further helps to stay away from blackheads.
Avoid hard and too much of scrubbing. Also avoid having oily foods and include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
If the problem of blackheads is very severe than you must consult the dermatologist and get some prescription.
