Generality
Whoever has an impure skin always has the problem of how to remove blackheads from their face and body.
Typical of oily skin and with imperfections, blackheads can represent a real blemish for people who suffer from it. It is, in fact, skin impurities with variable dimensions that generally appear on the face and / or body in areas particularly rich in sebaceous glands (such as nose, chin, forehead - the so-called "T zone" - and back) .
To be fair, although it is a disorder that affects mainly people with oily or mixed skin, blackheads can potentially occur even in individuals with normal or dry skin.
The methods used to eliminate them are different, unfortunately, however, they are not permanent and cannot guarantee a permanent and definitive resolution of the problem which, instead, can recur in a more or less near future.
What are
What are Black Points?
Before analyzing with which treatments and stratagems it is possible to remove blackheads, it is useful to understand what they are and why these annoying "blemishes" are formed.
The blackheads - also known as open comedones - can be defined as skin impurities deriving from the opening of the so-called closed comedones or white points, if you prefer. Closed comedones - consisting of sebum, keratin, cellular debris and microorganisms - can open following the pressure exerted by the material that constitutes them. The latter, coming into contact with the air, undergoes reactions of lipid oxidation due to which the so-called black-brown hat which characterizes the black points is generated.
Evolution of Black Points
The evolution of blackheads may vary from individual to individual and is generally not predictable. In fact, they could remain as they are for long periods of time, without changing their appearance, as they could regress spontaneously. In more serious cases, on the other hand, blackheads could become the site of bacterial infections with the consequent onset of inflammatory phenomena . These phenomena, in turn, can promote the appearance of acne.
Cosmetics
How to Remove Blackheads with Cosmetics
There are many cosmetics currently available on the market that promise to remove and remove blackheads and impurities from the face. Unfortunately, in most cases, these products only marginally solve the problem.
Among the cosmetics most used in the hard fight against open comedones we find the so-called black spot patches, special products consisting of a fabric support on which substances are distributed that are able to absorb excess sebum and remove impurities present on the skin surface. Next to the patches of this type, you can find cosmetics with an exfoliating action, useful for removing dead cells, to release pores and to promote cell regeneration, as well as face masks, lotions and detergents formulated with useful ingredients. to eliminate or control excess sebum that typically contributes to the development of skin impurities such as blackheads.
However, in most cases, the use of cosmetics alone against blackheads is useful more than anything else in limiting the problem, but it is not able to solve it completely.
Chemical Peeling
How to Remove Blackheads with Chemical Peeling
Among the dermo-aesthetic treatments mostly used to remove blackheads, white spots and acne we find, without a doubt, chemical peeling.
Chemical peeling is a special type of dermo-aesthetic treatment that uses the action of the so-called chemical exfoliants to remove the most superficial layers of the skin, favoring regeneration and cell renewal.
Chemical peeling can be performed both in beauty centers and on an outpatient basis by specialized medical personnel. In the first case, the peeling will be very superficial and will be carried out with little aggressive and / or low concentration chemical exfoliants; in the second case, instead, the chemical peel will be performed by a specialist doctor using chemical exfoliants with a deeper action and / or high concentrations. Depending on the type and concentration of chemical exfoliant used, it is possible to perform very superficial, superficial, medium and deep chemical peels. Generally, for the treatment of blackheads and acne, a superficial chemical peel can already be useful.
Manual Removal
How to Remove the Black Points with Manual Removal
Blackheads can be eliminated from the face or other body areas on which they manifest themselves by manual removal.
This removal is carried out using special blackhead extractors . These are special instruments made of stainless steel and with "ring-shaped" ends. The instrument must be positioned so that the open blackhead is in the center of the ring; after that, it is necessary to exert a certain pressure, until the impurity is obtained from the blocked pore; finally, again with the help of the extractor, the leaked material is removed.
Clearly, in order to avoid complications, the aforementioned instruments must be sterile or at least sanitized or disinfected. Blackhead extractors are freely available to anyone and can also be found in common perfumeries; however, for the elimination of blackheads it would always be better to turn to professionals or specialized medical figures. These instruments, in fact, are generally effective and are used to manually remove these impurities even from dermatologists and beauticians. In this regard, we recall that manual removal of blackheads is also carried out in the context of professional face cleansing . It is a treatment normally performed in beauty centers that provides a deep cleansing of the skin of the face through the use of special detergents and steam products, very useful for dilating the pores, favoring the elimination and / or manual extraction of points blacks and other impurities (for more information, we recommend reading the dedicated article: Face Cleaning).
drugs
How to Remove Blackheads with Drugs
In the most serious cases, when the black spots appear in large quantities becoming a problem for the individual, it is possible to resort to the use of some types of drugs for topical use ; of course, subject to medical consultation and subsequent prescription.
The active ingredients most used in this area are the same ones used in the treatment of acne. These include:
- Benzoyl peroxide : active ingredient with keratolytic and slightly comedolithic properties very useful for removing blackheads and other skin impurities, which is associated with an antibacterial action that is useful in the presence of infections.
- Tretinoin : is a derivative of vitamin A with exfoliating properties and capable of accelerating cell turnover.
Although some drugs used against acne and blackheads can be freely purchased without medical prescription (for example, Benzac®) as over-the-counter drugs (or OTC, if you prefer), consulting with a doctor and, even better, with a dermatologist it should always be requested.
In fact, before using any type of drug, it is first necessary to ascertain the actual presence of blackheads that must not be confused with other types of impurities or other skin disorders; after which it is necessary to exclude the presence of any contraindications to the use of any of the aforementioned drugs for topical use.
The dermatological examination is even more necessary if the blackheads are accompanied by bacterial infections and inflammations. In such situations, in fact, the doctor may decide to prescribe specific drugs (generally, topical steroid antibiotics and anti-inflammatories).
Natural remedies
How to Remove Blackheads with Natural Remedies
The vast world of natural medicine and cosmetics proposes different methods to eliminate blackheads using products found in nature. In detail, the most popular natural remedies to counteract these annoying impurities are clay and melaleuca essential oil (Tea Tree Oil).
Clay
The clay - and, in particular, the green one - is considered an excellent purifying remedy against oily skin and impurities such as blackheads. The clay is in fact attributed with detoxifying, exfoliating, skin purifying and rebalancing properties of the skin and, for this reason, it is widely used in the preparation of face masks against blackheads and acne, both in the field of DIY and industrial level (for more information: Clay Mask).
Tea Tree Oil
Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties are ascribed to the essential oil of melaleuca and, for this reason, it is often used as a natural remedy against impurities such as blackheads, white spots and pimples. Generally, it is recommended to apply one or two drops on a cotton pad with which you will then have to dab the area of skin affected by blackheads or other impurities that you want to eliminate. By virtue of the properties mentioned above, the melaleuca essential oil thus applied should promote the resolution of the black spot, especially when associated with inflammatory states.
Please note
The natural remedies described above are unlikely to completely remove the blackheads; they could prove useful in lightly reducing or at least limiting the problem, but the effectiveness can be different from individual to individual and, in any case, they do not solve the problem definitively. Moreover, it is good to remember that, although they are natural products, they are able to give rise to allergies. For this reason, before using them on the face or on other delicate areas, it is always good to carry out a preliminary test on a small portion of skin (for example, on an arm or near the elbow) in order to exclude the presence of any reactions hypersensitivity.
Useful Tips
Useful tips to prevent the formation of black points
People predisposed to the formation of blackheads, in addition to resorting to the methods and treatments described above to remove those that have already occurred, should take some precautions in order to prevent the formation of these impurities. In fact, even if the black points are removed, this does not mean that they cannot appear again.
Although the underlying causes of the formation of closed comedones and open comedones are many, the correct hygiene and daily cleaning of the skin associated with the use of quality products can be very useful in preventing the appearance of these impurities. In detail, it is very important:
- Cleanse the skin daily with delicate and non-aggressive products. The use of too aggressive detergents, in fact, would cause an alteration in the hydro-lipid film of the skin, irritating it and causing it to increase the production of sebum in an attempt to restore normal conditions. The increased production of sebum leads to an increased risk of formation of closed and open comedones.
- For the same reasons mentioned above, avoid too frequent washing. In fact, skin cleansing must be daily, but not excessive, in order to avoid alteration of the hydro-lipid film and skin irritation.
- Maintain a good degree of skin hydration through the use of cosmetics suitable for your skin type (oily, mixed, dry, normal, sensitive, etc.).
- Use quality cosmetics, suitable for your skin type and not clogging the pores.
- Perform regular exfoliation of the skin of the face and body, so as to remove dead cells, excess sebum and surface impurities.
Please note
Proper hygiene and the use of quality products suited to your skin type is essential for maintaining your skin's well-being in any individual, even if not predisposed to the formation of blackheads or other impurities.
Methods to Avoid
What NOT to do to Remove the Blackheads
In order to avoid complications such as infections, inflammation, skin irritation or, worse, scar formation, it should be remembered that under no circumstances should blackheads be crushed with fingers and nails. A similar practice, in fact, in addition to being ineffective, can favor the appearance of infections of various kinds, cuts and bleeding.
Absolutely to be avoided are also the remedies of the grandmother based on ingredients of dubious utility, such as sodium bicarbonate, or worse, toothpaste (for more information: Toothpaste on Pimples). Indeed, the effectiveness of similar products in contrasting blackheads is in no way demonstrated; on the contrary, the use of substances of this type could lead to counterproductive results, irritating the skin and increasing the production of sebum.
However, for further guidance on the behaviors to be avoided and for advice on how to remove blackheads from the face and body in a safe and effective way, it would be good to always contact your dermatologist.
