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Blackheads are those annoying little blackish or yellowish bumps
embedded into the pores of our skin. Medical practitioners classify
it as a type of acne, called an open comedone. Blackheads are
the first stage of acne,
before bacteria invade the pore which results in infection and
inflammation. These lesions typically develop after puberty,
once hormones start surging in the body and skin. The excess
hormones in the skin result in stimulation of the oil gland
in the skin (sebaceous glands), leading to excess oil production
in the pore, which accounts of why many teenagers
experience acne. The excess oil gets occluded in the pore
resulting in a ball of accumulated oil which when exposed to
air turns black in color. Blackheads are also caused and worsened
by excess topical oils and makeup. While blackheads are present
in just about any skin type, they just vary in visibility and
levels; they are most likely to develop on people with very
oily skin. It is important to understand that although many
people believe that only teenagers get blackheads and clogged
pores, many people suffer from adult
acne that begins in their twenties, or continues on through
the teen years into adulthood.
This is not to say, though, that only people with oily skin
are prone to having blackheads. If you use a lot of makeup and
fail to cleanse your skin properly, the chances of having blackheads
is high. This why frequent skin checks and deep skin
cleansing is necessary to keep it from progressing into
ugly black dots on your face. However, you must also keep in
mind that blackheads can also appear on any other part of your
body, even your arms, back and butt.
Common blackhead causes
Blackheads usually develop if your skin produces too much
oil. With the start of puberty, hormones in the body become
upregulated with the accumulation of the hormone by-product
Dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone results in overactivity
of the oil gland and plugging of the pore resulting in blackheads.
Blackheads can also be aggravated if you leave your skin dirty
and dead cells accumulate within your open pores. The dead cells
plug the pore opening resulting in oil build-up within the pore.
Too much makeup can also occlude the pore, as well as the excessive
use of moisturizers, foundations and sunscreens.
The rule of thumb, therefore, is -- anything you put on your
skin you must rinse off thoroughly after to avoid future problems.
Good hygiene is key. But you must be careful about this rule,
though, as over-cleansing and over-scrubbing has also been found
to be one of the reasons for skin anomalies and irritation.
Keep in mind that our skin also needs some amount of oil to
stay healthy. There really is no need to get all the oil out
to the very last molecule. Too much scrubbing or irritation
of the skin will result in reflex overactivity of the oil gland,
resulting in increased oil production and plugging of the pore;
aggravating the acne.
Blackheads grow
Even if you do not see blackheads on your skin, it is still
recommended that you cleanse regularly. Initial symptoms of
blackheads are not visible to the naked eye. If your skin is
left unclean, these yellow blackhead starts can invite more
dirt and eventually grow into little black hard bumps that are
more difficult to extract. Therefore, a periodic cleansing regimen
is in order.
Taking the blackheads out
You can extract blackheads yourself if there is no infection
on and around it. Just make sure you use sterile materials and
do so in a clean environment. You can begin by steaming your
skin for a while over a bowl of hot water to loosen the pores
and make the extraction process less painful. Be careful not
to scald yourself.
It is preferable not to use a tissue to squeeze the blackhead
out but instead to use a flat blackhead remover, or a comedone
extractor, which is sold at all beauty stores. Don't over squeeze
your skin or you might invite acne
formation at the distressed part. It is highly recommended not
to extract aggravated, inflamed or infected acne lesions since
this will not only worsen the acne but result in future scarring.
If you’re in doubt about your blackhead removing abilities
or if the area looks too sensitive to tinker with, visit a professional,
instead. Aestheticians and Dermatologist clinics offer deep
cleansing facial treatments designed to keep blackheads and
white heads away. The cost of beauty is way too high to gamble
with. It would be best to leave the dirty work to the experts.
Dr. Khadavi is an expert on acne and dermatology, and writes
regularily on the field of skin care and is a leader in the
prevention
of acne.
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About Acne
