Blackheads are not only annoying to deal with, it's not really attractive either. They mostly appear on our nose, but there are times where it will show up somewhere on our body. What is the difference of black heads and regular acne?
Black heads are a type of acne which clogs with excess oil (sebum), dead skin and bacteria in the opening of hair follicles in your skin, producing a bump called comedo. When you remove them they look like little holes. If the skin over the bump stays closed, then the bump is called a white head (Regular Acne). When the skin over the bump opens, it gets exposed to air leading the pores to oxidize causing it to look black and a black head is born.
HOW TO REMOVE BLACK HEADS
Slow and steady wins the race; black heads aren't easily removed; all you have to do is keep it as clean as possible until, POOF, it's all gone.Your skin may take up to a month to clear up, but we assure that your patience will be rewarded. Here are some dermatologist-approved DIY cures, as well as prevention strategies to keep blackheads at bay.
- Wash your face twice a day, especially after exercising, with a light cleanser like Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Cleanser.
- Salicylic acid aids in the removal of dead skin cells by destroying germs and excess oil. If you have oily skin, apply it twice a day every day. Use it once a day or every other day if you have normal to dry skin and/or sensitive skin (When using it, make sure to remove your daily cleanser).
- Use oil free sunscreen
- Exfoliate your skin, once or twice a week with a high quality exfoliant that is made for your face. We recommend something similar to our Neal’s Yard Face Buff
- Charcoal or clay masks; helps to get rid of excess dirt and oil from the skin.
- Chemical peels
- Retinoids; derived of vitamin A that will speed up the cell turnover process in your skin. This is helpful when it comes to acne, reducing and preventing signs of aging, treating hyper pigmentation and many other conditions.
- Nose strips can help to remove any new black heads, but not as effective at removing the ones that have been there for a while. We recommend that you use this method once every 1-2 months. Make sure to end it with a cool pack on your skin to help with the damaged skin and also to continue with maintaining your skin.
STUBBORN BLACKHEADS
If you still have black heads on your skin after 2 months, even after doing everything above, there could be other causes for them to appear. Here are some ideas to think about or try:
- Change your pillowcase every one or two weeks. Your pillow case is the one place that collects all of our face oils, dead skin, saliva, hair particles. Laying your face on that pillow every night can lead to clogged pours.
- Hormonal or stress change.
- Using any facial products that contain a lot of or an excessive amount of oils. Some examples can include cleansers that have jojoba oils, rosemary oils, etc.
- Your diet plays a big role on your skin. Diets that are high in foods that increase blood sugar levels can often show on the skin.
- Try going to an aesthetician for regular facials. During facials, often times, extractions are part of the process. This is when they use a small tool to squeeze the clog out of a pore without breaking the skin or enlarging the pore.
Moisturizing your face is an important part of any skin care routine, especially if you suffer from acne. It aids in the aging process as well as the formation of additional pimples, which is a result of dry skin. You can apply any form of moisturizer that helps to keep it from drying out, such as our Kings Crown Vitamin C Moisturizer, which contains Glycerin and olive oil, as well as Vitamin C, or any moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid.
Regular skin maintenance is an important step to making sure your skin is looking and feeling its best. Make sure you are practicing a good at-home skincare routine (i.e- cleaning, moisturizing, exfoliating, etc). You should also look at going in for regular facials. An aesthetician is trained in all types of skin, and will be able to look at your specific skin concerns and treat them in the facial. You'll likely want to go in for a facial once every 3 - 4 months.