5 Easy Steps to Get Rid of Blackheads

Black heads are small bumps that appear on your face due to clogged pores and hair follicles. They are called blackheads because they have a dark to black surface and are a mild type of acne. They  usually form on the face, but they can also appear on the back, chest, neck, arms and shoulders.

Blackheads are the most common skin concerns affecting millions of people worldwide. 

Causes

Black heads are primarily caused by hormones and occur when too much oil is produced inside the pore or opening of hair follicles. Each hair follicle contains hair and a sebaceous gland that produces a type of oil known as sebum which helps keep the skin soft. When excess oils, mixes with built up dead skin and after it is exposed to air, it oxidises and becomes dark causing a bump on the skin to form blackheads. Factors that increase your chances of developing blackheads include:

• hormonal changes and over production of body oil
• the build-up of the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria on the skin
• irritation of the hair follicles when dead skins cells don’t shed on a regular basis
• taking certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, birth control pills, lithium, or androgens
• Blood sugar levels and dairy products may also trigger excess oil production. 

1. Use a Cleanser with Salicylic Acid;  Salicylic acid helps exfoliates and get rid of dead skin cells that clog pores. It targets dead skin, excess oil and has anti-inflammatory properties to defend against blackheads, whiteheads and minor acne. 
2. Use a gentle Exfoliating Scrub: regular exfoliation can help remove dead skin cells that usually lead to clogged pores. This process gently removes blackheads and improve the appearance of your skin. 
3. Use a Peel-off Mask: peel-off masks have the potential to absorb oils and toxins from your skin and prevent mild forms of acne such as blackheads and whiteheads. 
4. Use a Gentle Calming Toner: toners are exceptional at drawing out impurities, de-clogging pores and shrinking enlarged pores to prevent bacteria, dust and makeup from causing irritation. We recommend rose water or soothing aloe toners for most skin types. Harsh toners may be counterproductive. 
5. Use a Light-weight Moisturizer: Using a moisturizer that contains ingredients such as Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and hyaluronic acid is necessary to maintain hydration and moisture balance in the skin even if you have oily skin. It will also allow you to keep using exfoliating products without causing dryness to your skin. With that in mind, your choice of moisturizer is very important. .
6. Let your skin breathe: At the end of a long day, the last thing you may want to do is to take off your makeup.

It can take up to 12 weeks to see results in acne care so if your blackhead persists after this time, you may need to make an appointment with your dermatologist. They can use professional tools to extract blackheads. It is also advisable to get professional aesthetic treatments from time to time to avoid a build-up of dead skin cells.