Struggling to deal with blackheads? Now, let's honestly confess... who hasn't encountered this situation. Everyone knows the persistence and difficulty of treating blackheads, especially around the nose and chin. So what is so difficult about blackheads that is so difficult to deal with? Why do they seem to resist all our time, effort and products purchased with our hard earned money? This is the dirt on blackheads. (Dare I say…) Your best intentions may actually make it worse.
Blackheads 101
As a skin specialist, one of the most common questions in the treatment room is “Thanks for your help, Kar, but how do I deal with blackheads?!”. The first thing to know is that even people with seemingly flawless skin still struggle with blackheads. (yes, even that friend who has radiant skin with no effort at all, ARGHH!). Blackheads are merciless.
If you're like me, you occasionally stare in the mirror and ask yourself, ""What exactly are blackheads and where do blackheads come from?"" So what causes blackheads? Essentially, when hair follicles become clogged with dead skin cells, oil, and bacteria, non-inflammatory acne-like lesions can develop... that friend of ours called blackheads .
Sure, people with oily skin tend to have more blackheads than normal or dry skin types... but everyone has a certain amount of oil in their skin. Oil is needed for your skin to function properly and do its job. But if you have too much oil and introduce some dirt into the formula... the result is nasty blackheads. This is why most people deal with blackheads at some point in their lives. You may notice these persistent little guys are often more prominent around the nose and on the sides of the nose. Here's why.
Our skin contains many different elements that are working around the clock to essentially shed and create new skin to protect us. Our Sebaceous Glands are a major contributing factor. They exist all over our bodies (except on the soles of our feet and palms of our hands) and are often attached to a hair follicle. Sebaceous glands produce something called sebum. When a sebaceous gland gets clogged with that sebum... That's it! ...a magical blackhead will form. This is where it gets interesting. We have the largest number of sebaceous glands on the face, especially the nose. That's why our nose is the main battlefield. The nose area's endless supply of oil makes it the perfect home for our longtime friend, blackheads. If you don't clean it properly, those hair follicles will become clogged with sebum. Our job is to help you keep your skin clean and healthy (assuming you know that by now), so let us help. Here's what you should do at home.
action – decongests your skin
We now know the first step to prevent blackheads is to wash your face. Sounds simple, right? Surprisingly, most people actually don't clean properly. To ensure you wash away all the dirt and oil, AND prevent your pores from clogging, double cleansing is essential!!! If you don't already have a ticket to board the double-cleaning train, you should buy one. The train will take you to the place you were really trying to get to in the first place!
If you use any type of makeup at all (And sorry guys, makeup wipes or micellar water don't count as cleansers... BUT if you're a makeup goddess or god and wear a full face of makeup face then this is a great first step!)
The double cleansing step usually consists of two parts - some oil cleansers are followed by a gel or foam cleanser. Oil cleansers are no longer a secret these days, but did you know oil cleansers can still be used even if you have oily skin? I know this might be a little scary for all my oily/acne-prone acquaintances out there, but please hear me out. Oil actually attracts oil (sounds unbelievable, I know), so if you have oily skin, this feature will actually help pull oil out of your skin from places we don't want it to accumulate. If you notice that you actually have a lot of oil, it's possible that you actually have overactive sebaceous glands (check with your dermatologist when you get your annual skin exam). Oil cleansers also help dissolve makeup and dirt that accumulates throughout the day. My TOTALLY indispensable oil cleanser is this Precleanse by Dermalogica.
Maybe sometimes you're thinking that's not enough, and you're right. While washing your face is an essential first step in removing and preventing blackheads, it often requires a little more effort.
What's next?
So you just got double cleansed and now have a clean, fresh face. You look great, feel great, and don't want to lose that feeling. What's next in your arsenal for the fight against blackheads?
There are some things you can do at home to minimize blackheads. Toner is a great tool with many benefits including fighting dirt, oil and of course… blackheads. It also helps balance your PH level, which determines whether your skin is oily or dry. Your skin's natural pH should be around 5.5. (A bias too far in either direction can result in oil or dryness). What really sets toner apart from all the other steps in your skin care regimen is molecular size (sorry for the high school chemistry flashback, but this is what you really should know).
Similar to water, Toner has a very small molecular size, meaning it can penetrate deeper than most other products. Blackheads often live quite deep below the surface of the skin, so the deeper the product penetrates, the better. Look for an exfoliating toner with AHAs and BHAs. If you're not particularly sensitive, you can apply toner all over your face. If you're especially sensitive (this is of course talking about your skin), I suggest you put the toner on a cotton ball and apply it only to areas with blackheads.
Serum is the next type of substance in terms of molecular size. They also contain highly concentrated ingredients, which means they're packed with goodness and only a small amount is needed to be effective. Look for a serum that contains lactic acid or salicylic acid. They both help remove oil, wash away dead skin cells and prevent clogged pores.
mask at home - last, but not least
In my opinion, this is the most effective way to treat blackheads at home. Using a mask at home is essential if you are struggling with blackheads and oily skin. But be careful, you can overdo it with clay masks. This is not a mask you want to apply and wash off after 2 hours of binging on Netflix! Clay is a natural oil absorbent and that's exactly what it does. If left on the skin for too long, it can lead to dryness, which can actually lead to overproduction of oil. You see where I'm going with this, right?… But don't worry - as long as you're using the right mask and washing it off at the right times, it's really not that difficult, maybe set a timer on your phone.
There are a variety of face masks on the market today, but not all of them are created equal. This can be difficult to decide when you're standing in the aisle of a store with two hundred options. Just look for Clear Start's Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask. If the name isn't enough to make you want to get rid of your blackheads, here are some other great qualities in this attractive mask... It contains sulfur, a long-proven acne-clearing ingredient . It also contains Kanolin - a clay that differs from its other cousins, due to its fine particle size and ability to absorb excess oil. This killer duo is also combined with ingredients like apple fruit extract and seaweed extract to really help rehydrate the skin – keeping the product from irritating or drying out your skin. This mask is an absolute must for anyone struggling with blackheads. Until next time, grab some champagne, relax and start enjoying the bubbly feeling with Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask. You can thank me later.