How to Get Rid of Blackheads

Blackheads are black or yellowish bumps that appear on the skin, and they're caused by excess oils that collect in hair follicles. The materials that cause you to develop blackheads are mostly keratin and oil that oxidizes in clogged hair follicles. This form of acne is also refereed to as an "open comedo" and develops when a plug increases in size, and forces its way to the surface of your skin. The reason this form of acne appears to be black is due to dark pigment melanin naturally found in your skin.

Blackheads are as small as the tip of a pin, and are ordinary occurrences among both men and women of all ages. The areas of your body that may be affected by blackheads are the spots where you have over-active oil glands, such as your face around the nose, chin and forehead, as well as the arms, chest and back. Some people may even notice blackheads around their lips as well.

Blackheads aren't always easy to spot if you're not looking for them; but once you notice you have blackheads, they are hard to ignore. They're easier to see in natural sunlight or other bright lights like florescent lighting. Women will notice them more in their t-zone (line across forehead, line from middle of forehead to chin) since blackheads love to root in the oiliest areas of the body. Your blackheads are likely to increase or decrease with changes in the weather, or changes in skin care routines.

The reason why the body produces oils that inevitably cause all forms of acne is to keep your skin supple and moist; after all, your skin cells are constantly reproducing so that dead skin cells can be shed. This process causes clogged skin pores that appear as blackheads or whiteheads, which have the potential to become inflamed areas that are difficult to get rid off. The best way to avoid getting blackheads is to keep acne-causing bacteria off of your face; however this is easier said than done.

Blackheads: Home Remedies & How to Remove Them

There are simple things you can do to keep blackheads and other forms of acne to a minimum, including using acne creams and cleansers. By adopting a skin care routine that focuses on acne problems, you will be more likely to reduce the amount of blackheads that appear on your face and body.

Skin Care Routine

To keep the dirt, dead skin, and other unwanted debris out of your pores, you will want to consider using a face wash every day, two times a day – ideally morning and night. This will help keep blackheads from appearing, and also helps remove ones that have already formed. It's important to use cleansers with ingredients like salicylic acid that fight off acne by removing dirt, dead skin and bacteria from the skin. Before using the cleanser at night, wipe off your makeup with a makeup wipe, otherwise you will need to cleanse twice; once to remove the makeup, and secondly to remove what has been left behind.

Two or three times weekly you'll benefit from using a facial exfoliating scrub that contains salicylic acid, micro-beads, or some sort of gentle exfoliating beads. For kin that is very prone to blackheads and other forms of acne, using a gentle exfoliating scrub daily may be helpful in treating the problem. Another ingredient to look for in facial cleansers or gentle exfoliates is alpha hydroxyl acids. These will also remove pore-clogging materials.

Use a toner daily before applying moisturizer to close pores and keep oil from building on your skin. You can find toners in all price ranges, and also in your local drugstore or department store. Keep in mind that it's important not to use a toner that contains alcohol. You can also use toner sprays throughout the day to refresh your skin if you feel it becoming dry due to makeup and/or weather conditions.

Facial peels are helpful in removing unwanted blackheads, and you may be able to use these every other day while showering. Facial peels are used for removing dead skin, and some are even strong enough to remove blackheads or peach fuzz from your skin – it all depends on the products you use. Finish your daily routine with a moisturizer to replenish the moisture that may have been stripped away from all of the cleansing and exfoliating.

Removal Strips

Use blackhead strips to remove blackheads instantly. There are a number of products available for purchase that will remove blackheads on your nose, cheeks, chin or forehead within 10 minutes or so. You simply remove the strip from the package, wet the area you want to apply the strip to, then apply the strip to your skin. You continue to wait with the strip on your face for the specified amount of time in the directions; then peel the strip off to reveal the blackheads that have been removed.

The main downside to using pore strips to remove blackheads is as follows: it's possible that the pore strip will not be able to remove the entire blackhead from the pore, thus leaving behind traces of the dirt, bacteria, and dead skin cells in the pore. This means that you have the potential to develop more blackheads in a short amount of time. Pore strips should be used as a quick fix to a blackhead problem only, and not as a long-term solution.

Blackhead Extractor

A blackhead extractor is a metal instrument with a small opening on one end that easily removes blackheads. Before you begin using a blackhead extractor, it's important to have clean skin, and to understand that blackhead extractors have the ability to damage skin if used improperly. Once you've cleansed your skin, use a hot washcloth to lightly press onto your skin for 1-2 minutes to open pores. Take a blackhead extractor and press the end with the opening over the blackhead you're preparing to remove. If you're not having success removing the blackhead with this small amount of pressure, stop the process and try again in two or three days. After you've finished with the blackhead extractor, rinse your face with warm water, and then use a cloth soaked in cold water to press onto your face for a couple of minutes so your pores close.

Using a blackhead extractor is a better alternative to using your fingers to pinch and squeeze blackheads because it won't cause your skin to break or leave scars. It's also better to keep your fingers away from the face so that you don't add more bacteria-causing blackheads to your face.

Prevention

Your hair can create problems on your face if it's oily due to the products applied to strands. In short, it's important to keep your hair off of your face whenever possible. You will also benefit from wearing hats or headbands less often because these hold the oils that your scalp produces, and can cause acne when in contact with skin.

As with any skin condition, it is important to maintain healthy eating habits. Trade your sodas or other sugary drinks for water, and the potato chips for fresh fruits and vegetables. If you're afraid that you aren't getting enough nutrients, consider taking dietary supplements; talk to your physician before adding supplements to your daily routine. Other items worth adding to your diet are fiber, vitamin A, antioxidants and lean proteins like fish.

Blackheads : Home Remedy : Lemon

You can use lemons in homemade face masks and rinses to exfoliate your skin since it's a natural alpha hydroxyl. Alpha hydroxyl acids are fruit acids, and will exfoliate the skin naturally like salicylic acids do. Also, lemon can reduce the amount of dead skin cells that stick to your skin so that you won't develop blackheads.

Here's how to use lemon juice on your skin to reduce the appearance of blackheads and other forms of acne:

1. combine five tablespoons of lemon juice with two tablespoons of water,
2. with clean hands, dip your fingers into the mixture and apply the liquid to your face,
3. Massage the lemon water solution onto your skin – focusing mostly on the areas of your face that have the most blackhead occurrences.
4. Rinse well to remove all of the solution with cool water so that you don't further irritate your skin by leaving the solution on for too long.