What is a Blackhead?
Blackheads, which can appear on both women’s and men’s skins, are types of acne without inflammation and are one of the most common skin problems. They are formed by oxidized dirt, dead cells, and sebums clogging the pores on the skin. They are most often observed on the cheeks and around the nose. Blackheads can also appear on the back, chest, neck, in the ears, on the arms and shoulders.
What are the causes of blackheads formation?
The primary cause for the formation of blackheads is the excessive skin oil due to the change in hormones and stress. Apart from these, unhealthy nutrition, excessive use of pore-clogging products such as foundations and powders, some medications, air pollution, inadequate and wrong products of skin cleansing trigger the formation of blackheads. Removing the blackheads once doesn’t mean they won’t show up again.
What can increase the risk of blackheads?
- Very oily skin
- Failure in periodical disposal of dead skin cells
- Hormonal changes and imbalances
- Some medications, such as corticosteroids, androgens, or lithium
- Inadequate and wrong skin cleansing
- Wrong and poor quality cosmetics usage
What are the methods used to remove the blackheads?
- Microdermabrasion
- Medical skin cleansing
- Chemical peels
- Laser
How do we get rid of blackheads?
- The first step to get rid of black spots is to deeply clean and moisturize the skin with the right products. When blackheads are not cleansed, they can cause acnes as well.
- Heavy make-up and not cleansing the make-up residues well enough will cause the pores to become clogged, which will speed up the formation of blackheads. For this reason, extra care should be taken to clean the skin after make-up.
- Sunbathing for a long time in the summer may increase the formation of blackheads. Protecting the skin with a properly selected sunscreen prevents the blackhead problem caused by the sun.
- Regular application of exfoliating masks and peelings at home is one of the most important steps in preventing the formation of blackheads.
- Change your pillowcases frequently.
Is it harmful to squeeze blackheads?
It is not recommended to squeeze blackheads yourself at home. Squeezing can make blackheads worse. Blackhead removal should be done by dermatologists or experienced skin care professionals.