Blackheads - Taking a Deeper Dive

Blackheads are like little gray hairs:  Get rid of one and six show up to its funeral. Rather than scraping, squeezing, or stripping your skin free of blackheads, it’s best to address what’s triggering them for clearer pores in the long run.  We’re diving deep into pores to discover how to treat and prevent blackheads.

What are blackheads?

  • Blackheads are a mix of oil and dead skin cells in your pores most noticed on the nose, forehead, and chin.  The exposure to air is what causes them to oxidize and turn black. The dilated opening of your hair follicles, which is caused by the buildup of sebum (oil) in our pores, leads to acne and inflammation.

 Can you prevent blackheads?

  • You may not like hearing this, but there is not really a way to prevent blackheads from forming. The reason they keep coming back could be genetic or environmental.  However, there are ways to reduce the number of blackheads that form on the skin.

Should you pop and squeeze your blackheads?

  • Please don’t!  That goes for pimples and other blemishes, too.  I know how tempting it can be to squeeze that gunk out of your skin but doing so can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring.  It’s best to leave extractions to your esthetician.

 How do you treat blackheads?

  •  Step 1:  Cleanse

    While blackheads aren’t a sign of dirty skin, cleansing is key to keeping skin healthy and free of blackheads.  Treating blackheads and treating acne is different.  If skin has consistent acne breakouts, then another treatment is recommended using the Face Reality Program at Water and Leaf Skincare. Today, we’re focusing on just blackheads.  Treating blackheads with a cleanser formulated with salicylic acid will help dissolve excess oil, purify pores, and clear and prevent future breakouts.

  •  Step 2: Exfoliate

    Exfoliation is a key step in your skincare routine when you are looking for how to treat and prevent blackheads.  An exfoliator that has a blend of glycolic acid (an AHA) and salicylic acid (a BHA) is a great one-two punch against blackheads.  AHAs sweep away pore-clogging debris and BHAs help purge debris from your pores.

  •  Step 3: Mask

    To help draw oils and toxins out of the skin, consider adding a clay mask to your weekly skincare routine.  This type of mask also helps to unclog pores and reduce the number of blackheads you’ll notice on your skin, and its ideal especially for oil skin.  You may also find a clay mask that contains sulfur, which helps to break down the dead skin cells that create blackheads.

  •  Step 4: Moisturize

    Moisturizing daily is a must!  Drying out your skin in an effort to clear it is a direct path to overproduction of oil that leads to more blackheads and breakouts.  Moisturizing helps bring balance back to the skin, which in turn helps to cut down on breakouts.  Look for a non-comedogenic moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid for all the hydration skin needs without the greasy feeling.

Here are a few home care products that will address blackheads and help to keep your pores clean and visually smaller.  

Sothys Glysalac Skin Prep

Green Envee Clarify Cleanser

Green Envee Pumpkin Glycolic Peel 3%

Green Envee Rejuvenate Brightening Peel

Sorella Apothecary Mint Poppy Seed Polish

Sorella Apothecary Grapefruit Polishing Powder

Sorella Apothecary Spiced Wine Toner

 Green Envee Clear Oil Control Serum

 Face Reality Clay Mask

Green Envee Clear Complexion Mask

Sorella Apothecary Rosehip Warming Mask

Sothys Active Moisturizer

Green Envee Balance Moisturizer

Sorella Apothecary Daily Greens Moisturizer

Face Reality SPF 28 and 30

Sorella Apothecary Tropical Topical Mat SPF 30

 

CYNTHIA WOLEK