Get Rid of Blackheads
How to get rid of blackheads is a question that every teen -and nearly every adult- faces at one time or another. Here are three sure ways to get rid of blackheads for good without resorting to painful techniques that can leave acne scars.
While a whitehead is a closed pore that protects its contents from oxidation, a blackhead is an open, but clogged, pore that exposes its contents to the oxygen in the surrounding air. Oxygen darkens the oily sebum that has partially clogged the pore. Exposure to the air also darkens the pigment melanin that is found in all but albino skin.
Techniques to Get Rid of Blackheads
When you are considering how to get rid of blackheads, remember this basic rule: Never, ever squeeze a blackhead. You will injure the surrounding skin, but chances are the blackhead will stay in place. Instead, try these three techniques:
How to Get Rid of Blackheads Technique #1
Moisturize the skin so that the blackhead will just fall out on its own. There is a common misunderstanding that skin needs to be “dried out” to prevent various forms of acne. Actually, the skin needs moisture to stay supple and flexible so that compacted oils in blackheads can simply loosen from the pore to be removed during cleansing. If you have naturally dry skin, your moisturizer should not contain any fragrances or essential oils, because these can cause dry skin to break out. If you have naturally oily skin, you probably only need to moisturize when your skin is exposed to dry air, and you need to be sure your skin care product does not include cholesterol, triglycerides, or glycerin, since these can make oily skin oilier.
How to Get Rid of Blackheads Technique #2
Exfoliate dead skin that holds the blackhead in place. If you have both blackheads and red pimples, you may want to use an exfoliant that contains salicylic acid, which lifts the tiny particles of dead skin that hold the blackhead in place but also relieves pain. Otherwise, your best bet is probably a naturally occurring form of vitamin C called glycolic acid, which removes dead skin and debris painlessly in just a few minutes.
How to Get Rid of Blackheads Technique #3
Cover up blackheads with a home remedy you make with milk of magnesia. Concealers are great for covering up pimples but not so useful for covering up blackheads. Just a drop of milk of magnesia allowed to dry over the blackhead temporarily ) the plug of dead skin that retains oxidized sebum in the pore (up to 12 hours, unless your face gets wet from humidity or perspiration).
Everyone who has blackheads also needs to know two more simple rules about washing the face: Use warm water, not hot or cold. Hot water dries out the skin and leaves microscopic flakes of skin that can block pores. Pat skin dry; never rub skin dry. And don’t dry the skin of your face with a blow dryer! Rubbing the skin forces oil deeper into pores, and dirty towels can return dirt, debris, and bacteria to your freshly cleaned skin.
