Treating blackheads requires that you understand what a blackhead is. What causes a blackhead? How does it differ from a whitehead, pimple or zit? When you understand the causes of a break out, you can treat it.
Once we have defined the underlying causes and have identified the problem, we will be able t get rid of the blackheads for good. Thus the first question we need to ask ourselves is what is a blackhead?
It is a blemish that has its starting in the form of a pore which is clogged. Every hair follicle is made up of a follicle, a sebum gland and a pore. These pores get clogged as dead skin cells keep accumulating within it. This makes it difficult for the oil from the sebum glands to come out. The light colored oil trapped in the skin results in a whitehead.
When a pore is partially choked up, some air can get through to the oil. Oxygen reacts with the trapped oil which darkens in color giving rise to a blackhead.
The next stage is a pimple or zit. Bacteria living on the skin consume the sebum oil. The oil trapped in the pore is a feast for these bacteria. Furthermore, the bacterial growth rate is aided by the lack of air inside the pore. These conditions allow the bacteria to multiply. This triggers an immune response from your body. White blood cells gather at the pore, causing inflammation and the raised bump of a pimple.
The treatments of blackheads or pimples can be categorized in two ways. First type includes exfoliants and involves facilitating the removal of dead skin cells. Certain elements can pierce the clogged pore and remove the blockages. Hence, the sebum oil gets out of the pore.
The second type of treatments is substances designed to kill the bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide will increase the oxygen level on the skin, and kill the bacteria. This is effective at treating pimples.
Lemon juice is considered to be a perfect exfoliating substance for the skin. It is also said to contain salicylic acid. The lemon juice gets into the pores which have been clogged and remove the clog. This will let the oil from the sebum glands get out, making the skin free of blemishes.
Apply lemon juice with caution since it can be harsh on the skin. That is why it a good idea to try applying a bit of lemon juice on a small patch of skin. Since this can also have a stinging effect, it is wise to avoid open sores, wounds and the eye area.
The sodium bicarbonate compound in baking soda makes it an excellent exfoliate. The grainy particles are good for scrubbing the dead cells from skin. This will be a good choice for gently massaging into the skin. It will also clean the pores and let the trapped oils out. Since it is mild on skin, it will not cause any harmful rashes.
Baking soda actively scrubs off the top layer of skin. It is gentle, and should not damage the skin too much. But you can over exfoliate. Scrubbing beyond a certain point may affect the skin below the surface. You may experience tenderness, inflammation and potentially more acne.
Toothpaste is another home remedy for acne. Toothpaste consists of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and alcohol. This hydrogen peroxide will raise the oxygen levels and kill bacteria. Alcohol is also deadly for bacteria. Alcohol is lethal since it causes dehydration. Alcohol is often used as a general disinfectant because of this action. And as said above, baking soda is an exfoliant. Toothpaste, hence, is a mixture of both the treatments.
Toothpaste can dry out the skin and a pimple. However it is likely to irritate the skin and cause redness and peeling. The skin can become burned by toothpaste.
Once we have defined the underlying causes and have identified the problem, we will be able t get rid of the blackheads for good. Thus the first question we need to ask ourselves is what is a blackhead?
It is a blemish that has its starting in the form of a pore which is clogged. Every hair follicle is made up of a follicle, a sebum gland and a pore. These pores get clogged as dead skin cells keep accumulating within it. This makes it difficult for the oil from the sebum glands to come out. The light colored oil trapped in the skin results in a whitehead.
When a pore is partially choked up, some air can get through to the oil. Oxygen reacts with the trapped oil which darkens in color giving rise to a blackhead.
The next stage is a pimple or zit. Bacteria living on the skin consume the sebum oil. The oil trapped in the pore is a feast for these bacteria. Furthermore, the bacterial growth rate is aided by the lack of air inside the pore. These conditions allow the bacteria to multiply. This triggers an immune response from your body. White blood cells gather at the pore, causing inflammation and the raised bump of a pimple.
The treatments of blackheads or pimples can be categorized in two ways. First type includes exfoliants and involves facilitating the removal of dead skin cells. Certain elements can pierce the clogged pore and remove the blockages. Hence, the sebum oil gets out of the pore.
The second type of treatments is substances designed to kill the bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide will increase the oxygen level on the skin, and kill the bacteria. This is effective at treating pimples.
Lemon juice is considered to be a perfect exfoliating substance for the skin. It is also said to contain salicylic acid. The lemon juice gets into the pores which have been clogged and remove the clog. This will let the oil from the sebum glands get out, making the skin free of blemishes.
Apply lemon juice with caution since it can be harsh on the skin. That is why it a good idea to try applying a bit of lemon juice on a small patch of skin. Since this can also have a stinging effect, it is wise to avoid open sores, wounds and the eye area.
The sodium bicarbonate compound in baking soda makes it an excellent exfoliate. The grainy particles are good for scrubbing the dead cells from skin. This will be a good choice for gently massaging into the skin. It will also clean the pores and let the trapped oils out. Since it is mild on skin, it will not cause any harmful rashes.
Baking soda actively scrubs off the top layer of skin. It is gentle, and should not damage the skin too much. But you can over exfoliate. Scrubbing beyond a certain point may affect the skin below the surface. You may experience tenderness, inflammation and potentially more acne.
Toothpaste is another home remedy for acne. Toothpaste consists of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and alcohol. This hydrogen peroxide will raise the oxygen levels and kill bacteria. Alcohol is also deadly for bacteria. Alcohol is lethal since it causes dehydration. Alcohol is often used as a general disinfectant because of this action. And as said above, baking soda is an exfoliant. Toothpaste, hence, is a mixture of both the treatments.
Toothpaste can dry out the skin and a pimple. However it is likely to irritate the skin and cause redness and peeling. The skin can become burned by toothpaste.