Blackheads occur when skin pores become clogged with dead skin cells and an oily protective substance called sebum.
The upper part of the black dot that is visible on the surface of the skin is dark in color.
Hair usually grows from hair follicles in pores, and underneath are sebum glands that produce sebum.
When these pores are clogged, the dead skin cells in the open pores react with oxygen in the air and turn black to form blackheads.
This is often mistaken for trapped dirt, but the development of blackheads has nothing to do with skin hygiene.
Other acne lesions are usually closed, but with blackheads, the skin around the clogged pores opens, air penetrates, causing oxidation of accumulated sebum oil or dead skin cells and blackening or sometimes yellowing of the skin.
Blackheads are most common on the face, back, neck, chest, arms, and shoulders. There are more hair follicles in this area.
Cleansing: Special facial scrubs can help. Look for fragrance-free products for sensitive skin and avoid anything that makes your skin too dry. Various products can be purchased online.
While drying the skin by reducing excess oil production is important, over-drying can make things worse by stimulating the production of extra glandular oil.
Make-up and Cosmetics: Use non-comedogenic products that don’t clog pores, but are designed to keep pores clean and open and reduce build-up of dead skin. Non-comedogenic makeup can be purchased online from a variety of brands.
Prescription Treatments: Azelaic acid, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide are also available for prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) non-inflammatory acne. This is a topical treatment that is applied directly to the skin.
Prescription medications containing vitamin A, such as tretinoin, tazarotene, and adapalene, may be prescribed to prevent clot formation in hair follicles and to stimulate faster skin cell turnover.
However, most people don’t seek this treatment until their acne gets worse and becomes infected or becomes more severe, like acne. It’s probably best to have a skin care professional remove blackheads when they become a nuisance.
General conditions: All other skin problems such as eczema or rosacea can make treating blackheads a bit more difficult. This condition needs to be treated before acne develops, as successful treatment can lead to the improvement of blackheads.
Rest and relaxation: Rest and avoiding stress can also help, as stress can trigger sebum production. Exercise can help reduce stress.
Food: Research doesn’t confirm that cutting out French fries or chocolate reduces or doesn’t reduce acne, but eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables is good for overall health. This can reduce the risk of infection of skin lesions.
Don’t do it for blackheads
Hormone triggers can make blackheads inevitable, but several factors can increase or worsen the risk.
Squeezing: Avoid squeezing blackheads, even with metal blackhead removers, as this can irritate the skin and make the problem worse.
Burning sensation: Steam baths have long been recommended for treating blackheads because they “open pores”. However, this has not been confirmed by research. Some people think that this makes the problem worse.
Cleaning: This can make the problem worse. Cleansing removes sebum. The sebum glands then work harder to replace the sebum, leading to more blockage and the risk of acne inflammation.
Treatment: Removal tapes, masks and vacuum cleaners should be used with caution as they can irritate and damage the skin if used incorrectly.
Make-up and Cosmetics: Avoid oil-based makeup and skin care products.
Other environmental factors to avoid are:
humid environment
tight clothing that covers the skin
Skin care products that contain alcohol, as they can also tighten and dry out the skin
Hydrogen peroxide: This is recommended for acne. Can reduce weight