What are blackheads?
Everybody at some point in life must have dealt with blackheads, especially during the formative years. This keeps one wondering what blackheads are and how to remove or extract blackheads.
As the name suggests, blackheads are small dark spots on the skin, usually on the face and around the neck area. It is a form of acne that forms when a clog develops in the hair follicle opening in the skin. Every hair follicle contains one hair and a gland that produces oil. The oil made, referred to as sebum, keeps the skin soft. The dead skin cells and oils collect in the skin follicle opening resulting in a bump known as comedo. If the skin over that bump stays closed, that bump is called a whitehead. However, when the skin over the bump opens, it becomes black due to its exposure to air. This forms a blackhead.
Other factors that result in blackheads include:
• Genetics
If any of your generations had oily skin, you might have it too. The excess sebum in the pores will make you vulnerable to blackheads. However, if you stick to the proper skin care habits, you can balance out the dispositions of genetics to have fewer blackheads.
• Picking at the skin
Some people are always tempted to squeeze out blackheads even though they know it is not correct, and this will not remove the entire blackhead but only a little of it. If you successfully pop a whole blackhead, you will have damaged your pores, which causes large pores since it was overstretched, inflammation, and the potential of having more blackheads later.
• Overly harsh products on the skin
Some will be tempted to use products that strip their skin of all the oils which will do more harm than good. These harsh products dry the skin and make your sebaceous glands secrete more oils. Instead of removing the blackheads, you will end up with more blackheads. All you need to do is ensure that the skin has the proper moisture balance.
The blackheads are not contagious but occur at random ages. For their treatment, consider using products or methods that ensure that the oil plug formed inside the pore is broken. Once that oil plug is damaged, it becomes easy to prevent blackheads.
How do blackheads appear?
Blackhead is a common skin condition that appears on specific body parts with more hair follicles, including the face, neck, arms, chest, and shoulders. Various factors, including irritation of the hair follicle, causing them. Blackheads appear black due to the reaction of oxygen with dead skin in the open pore.
Blackhead is a type of acne. Unlike pimples, they are open bumps found on the skin and are filled with dead skin and excess oil. You might think it is dirt in the bubble, but an irregular light reflection on the closed follicle causes its dark spot.
Generally, blackheads are open bumps that are dark and found on your skin. Unlike whiteheads, they neither hurt nor feel uncomfortable.
Blackhead removal/extraction
Identifying a blackhead is easy and does not always need a health professional to treat or eliminate them. Although it is impossible to prevent blackheads, good cleansing habits and various natural and home remedies may help. Here are some of the ways you can remove blackheads, either with the help of a doctor or professional or by applying home remedies;
• Over-the-counter treatments
Many acne or blackhead medications are found at drug stores and sometimes online without a prescription. You can find these medications as a cream, pad, or gel, and they are applied directly to the skin. The drugs contain ingredients such as resorcinol, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid, which work by destroying the bacteria, drying the excess oil, and for the skin to peel off the dead skin cells.
• Prescription medications
If you have tried over-the-counter medications that are not working, doctors might suggest you use vital prescription treatments. This includes medicines with vitamin A, which prevents plugs from developing in the hair follicles and promotes rapid skin cell turnover. The medications, like the over-the-counter treatments, are directly applied to the skin.
• Manual blackhead extraction by dermatologists
Dermatologists use special instruments known as loop extractors to get rid of the plug that causes blackheads. A small opening is made in the plug, and the doctor applies pressure using the extractor, eventually removing the clog. But, again, so that you know, this method is only done by dermatologists and not by you.
• Cleanse the skin daily
The excess oil produced in the areas affected by blackheads causes them, and cleansing helps reduce the extra fat, dirt, and other materials that might build up and clog the pores. Use the double cleansing approach since it works effectively. The first thing to do is cleanse with an oil-based cleanser to remove any cosmetics, makeup, or pollutants from the skin afterward.
Afterward, make use of a water-based cleanser. This step helps remove dirt and oils, thus preparing the skin for other treatments, such as topical treatment.
• Apply clearing topical
They use topical applications to break up the oil clogs that cause blackheads. Consistency can help in this process because the topical does not work instantly. You might have to apply them daily for several weeks before they break up the plug, reducing the appearance of blackheads. Topical applications come in different forms, and they include;
Alpha hydroxyl acids include fruits such as mandolin, glycolic, and lactic acids. They help increase exfoliation, thus promoting skin peeling and eventually reducing blackheads.
The best thing about using Alpha hydroxyl acids is that they are gentle and can remove dead skin cells, thus clearing the way for other skin products to penetrate effectively. Also, they are water-soluble and made from natural sources such as sugar, milk, and fruit.
Salicylic acid also works similarly to alpha hydroxyl acids and originates from a willow tree. It is natural and functions to peel the plugged pores away.
Tea tree oil: This product has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Products with tea tree oil help remove blackheads with no adverse side effects.
Alternatively, you can use benzoyl peroxide, a topical that reduces bacteria, promotes skin peeling, and eventually removes blackheads.
• Try natural blackhead removal masks
Exfoliating masks help eliminate dead skin cells from the skin. The removed dead skin cells could have caused clogging and more blackheads. One of the masks you can use is the oatmeal mask. The oatmeal mask has exfoliating and skin-soothing properties, making it ideal for blackhead removal. It also helps in reducing irritation and in blackhead removal.
• Use facial scrubs
While some people use facial scrubs to make the skin smoother with blackheads, the target is for the scrubs to open the closed pores and stop them from progressing. Before getting yourself a facial scrub, please ensure that it has ingredients such as polyethylene beads, ground fruit pits, aluminum oxide, and sodium tetraborate decahydrate granules. The sodium tetraborate decahydrate granules dissolve quickly during washing, making them less abrasive. This makes them suitable for people with sensitive skin. Here are some of the masks you can use;
Charcoal mask: Most products today contain charcoal because it is a great detoxifier. Its effect is felt in the pores and helps draw out dirt and other impurities. There are many great charcoal masks available over the counter. Alternatively, you can purchase activated charcoal drugs and use water or other products to make a mask. Over-the-counter charcoal masks are available online or in local drug stores.
Salt or sugar scrub: This scrub has been used to exfoliate the skin for many years. The scrubs exfoliate dead skin cells and promote new skin cell growth. You can make your scrub of either ingredient by mixing it with honey. Take a few seconds to massage the scrub on the face in a circular motion afterward, and use running water to rinse it off the look. Apply the exact two times a week, and the blackheads will be removed quickly.
• Use clay masks
These masks help extract excess oils and other toxins from the skin, thus unclogging the pores. They are a must-have product for people with oily skin. Some clay masks have a sulfur component, effectively breaking down dead skin cells responsible for developing blackheads. Regardless of your clay mask, please use it once or twice a week.
• Chemical peels
Chemical peels help remove clogs and eliminate the dead skin cells that cause blackheads. While peeling, a chemical solution applied to the skin must be a strong chemical. As time passes, the top layers of the skin peel off, revealing the clear skin underneath. You can get mild peels over the counter. Only dermatologists or healthcare professionals can give you strong peels.
• Laser and light therapy
This method uses a tiny beam of solid light to reduce oil production or eliminate the bacteria. The lasers and the light rays have their effects below the skin surface to remove blackheads and any other type of acne without damaging the skin at the top.
• Use a skin brush
Skin brushes provide the same benefits as exfoliating AHAs and BHAs since they help remove excess dead skin cells that cause blackheads. However, these brushes must be used occasionally and with a gentle cleansing wash for their effectiveness. If your skin is sensitive, it is better to avoid using brushes. You can find skin brushes such as Clarisonic and other hand-held brushes online.
• Use non-comedogenic products
Non-comedogenic makeup and other face products are advisable because they don’t cause comedones. You must read the labels of all the products you use on your face to ensure you get those that do not cause clogged pores. When no clogged pores are formed, there are zero chances of blackheads developing.
Also, removing your makeup at the end of the day will help remove and prevent the further development of blackheads. This is because even on-comedogenic products can clog pores if they stay on the face for long periods.
Strategies to Avoid
Having looked at removing or extracting blackheads, we must also look at some strategies we must avoid.
I. Blackhead extractors
Some people are fond of using plastic or metal tools to remove a blackhead which is not advisable. These tools usually have openings on the end which can create a lot of pressure on the pore. Although they can successfully remove the blackhead, they can destroy the skin or bring in more bacteria. It is better to listen to the professionals or let them do the extraction to avoid more damage.
II. Pressing or popping
Pressing can still remove the blackhead but leaves you behind with pain, acne, and the possibility of an infection. Furthermore, it opens a way for bacteria and more oil to enter the pore.
III. Toothpaste
Toothpaste contains antibacterial ingredients that help in removing blackheads. However, it also has substances that can destroy the skin or cause irritation.
Please always consider the potential of your skin damage or irritation before using any product. Some can lead to more blackheads and other types of acne.
Conclusion
Blackheads are common and can affect anybody at different ages. They appear primarily around your chest, face, arms, neck, and nose. Although they don’t affect your health physically, they can affect you psychologically and psychosocially. They are frustrating and can cause depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Nevertheless, they are easy to spot and remove in the right ways. Apart from over-the-counter treatments, you can also try home remedies. If the home remedies fail for eight weeks, please feel free to seek the help of a dermatologist. The dermatologists will prescribe something more substantial to help remove or extract the blackhead. They can also do the extraction themselves using extraction tools.