Blackheads - Battling This Common Skin Problem

Do you suffer from acne and blackheads? Are you looking for a answers about how to with this unpleasant reality? The necessity to discuss this topic came about after a business meeting I attended. The person I met with had a terrible case of blackheads, and I was rather distracted by it. They were very noticeable. Of course I would never have said anything to this individual directly, but the experience prompted me to provide some helpful information on battling this common skin problem.

What are blackheads?
First of all, you might wonder what the difference is between a blackhead and a whitehead. A blackhead is a comedone formed when the opening of a hair follicle becomes wider than normal. Because the follicle opening is wider, the sebum (sebaceous glands produce a substance called sebum, which is responsible for keeping the skin and hair moisturized) and the sloughed off dead skin cells react chemically with the air, resulting in the oxidation of melanin, which in turn causes the dark coloration of the blackhead.

What is Acne?
Ultimately acne results from infection of the oil gland due to the blockage by the blackhead. Therefore preventing and removing blackheads helps to control acne.

What are whiteheads?
On the other hand, a whitehead is a comedone formed from a hair follicle that is not open to the air. It is also clogged with sebum and sloughed off dead skin cells, but the lack of exposure to the air does not lead to the oxidation of melanin, so the clogged matter stays white.

Tips on battling blackheads
• According to Deepi Brar of Caremark Health resources, you should "wash your skin twice a day gently with water and a mild soap, but don't overdo it." And every article I have read indicates that using a harsh soap and scrubbing too hard can actually make things worse. Brar also suggests that "after a hard workout, shower and shampoo right away so sweat doesn't combine with surface oils to block pores." Additonally, "be sure to use skin-care products that won't clog your pores."
• My own esthetician tells me to use a gentle exfoliant to keep dead cells off of the skin and away from the pore openings. Two of my favorite exfoliants are the ZIRH SCRUB Face Exfoliant and the MenScience Microfine Face Scrub.
• "Excessive squeezing can damage the skin surround the pore and can actually increase the size of the pore leading to more blackheads in the future" says Mike Singh of EzineArticles.com.
• To remove blackheads yourself, the folks at mankind.co.uk say to "soften the skin by having a hot shower or by steaming your face over a bowl of hot water." Then you "can then either use a tissue and clean fingers to gently squeeze out the blockage..."
• Blackheads and whiteheads can also be treated with topical products like benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin. In my experience Benzoyl peroxide has a tendency to dry your skin out, but it does reduce clogging. Tretinoin, on the other hand, forces the closed comedones (the whiteheads) to open up so you can more easily expunge the matter inside.

Other related articles:

Blackhead Removal from About's Beauty Guide.

Acne Treatment With Miscellaneous Topical Medications from About's Dermatology Guide or visit the acne resource page for more comprehensive information.

Bannish Blackheads from mankind.co.uk.