Keeping blackheads at bay
What is a blackhead?
Before we get to the tips, I thought it would be helpful to first understand what a blackhead is.
A “blackhead” is just a term used to describe an open comedone.
An open comedone is a mixture of dead skin cells, oil and debris that create a plug within the pore. When the surface of the plug is exposed to light and air it oxidises, turning it a blackish hue that is not too dissimilar to ground pepper 🧂.
Who gets blackheads?
Although open comedones can be common with acne, people without acne can experience blackheads.
One of the contributors to blackheads is an overactive oil gland within the pore. It’s for this reason that these small dark plugs tend to occur in areas that are more prone to “shine”, such as the nose, chin, forehead and cheeks.
Tips to reduce blackheads:
Cleanse more regularly 🧼
Although blackheads aren’t an indication of “dirty” skin, cleansing the skin twice a day can help reduce debris from accumulating within the pores.
More regular cleansing can be disruptive to the skin so it’s best to avoid cleansers that are too lifting or ones that leave your skin feeling two sizes too small. Conversely, using a only a balm or oil-based cleanser may not be effective in removing the debris and oil on the skin. Generally, a gentle foaming or creamy cleanser can offer a happy medium.
Work your cleanser into the skin for 60-120 seconds, focusing on blackhead prone areas and small crannies, like around the nose. This can break down the debris settled on the pore for a more effective cleanse.
*Micellar waters and cleansing wipes AREN’T replacements for this step…you know who you are 👀.
Can I just scrub them away?
Employing the use of a gritty face scrub won’t help much. Scrubs will only remove the top of the plug as blackheads are too deep in the pore to be removed by surface scrubbing.
The texture of your finger pads whilst cleansing and a textured flannel can offer plenty of exfoliation to aid in the removal of the build-up that contributes to blackheads.
Use a product with Salicylic Acid 🧪
Probably the most important change in reducing blackheads is to use a designated product that contains an exfoliating acid, a BHA in particular. Salicylic acid can be a godsend for not only eroding the existing plug but also preventing plugs from forming.
How does Salicylic Acid work? Salicylic Acid is lipid soluble, meaning it has the special ability to penetrate clogged pores and dissolve the “glue” that holds pore-clogging dead skin cells together. This characteristic makes it especially useful over other acids like lactic acid or glycolic acid.
These products come in a plethora of forms, from leave-on gels, wash-off cleansers and moisturisers. The form of choice can be dictated by your background skin type (dry, oily, sensitive, etc) and tolerance to the product.
For example, a more mature skin that is very dry, may find a leave on SA product that’s used too regularly can be irritating and far too drying, whereas an oilier skin type may find a cleanser to not be robust enough in targeting congestion.
I generally recommend a salicylic spot-treatment, these tend to be in a gel form and can be used as often as daily or 2-3 times a week for our more sensitive or drier skin types, or every day for our oilier skin types.
Pull back if irritation occurs 🛑
If the skin that’s treated appears red, tight, or scaly. Pull back on the usage of this product and use less during the week.
💡Quick tip: You can also apply the product to skin that is cleansed and moisturised, as the moisturiser can act as a “buffer” to reduce the absorbability and exfoliation of the product – reducing irritation.
Masque up
Using a clay-based mask once a week can sop up oils in the skin, offering a gentle cleansing property whilst leaving pores less congested and visibly minimized. A softer setting clay mask is ideal overall, so look out for kaolin as a clay ingredient for this purpose. To avoid over-drying the unaffected skin, apply to blackhead-prone areas only and rinse off for a more matte and refreshed complexion. To avoid dehydrating the skin, it’s best to not over-use these products. Most will find 5-10 minutes as plenty, however if in doubt follow the directions on the product.
Leave the squeezing to the professionals 🙈
We understand the urge to squeeze these blackheads or even use sticky strips or extraction tools found online, these tools can all be tempting to gain a quick fix at home. However, we caution against this as the skin on the nose is delicate and it’s very easy to cause broken capillaries, bruising and damage to the skin, not a great look amongst blackheads. More on blackhead treatments in studio below.
💥Treating blackheads at Nu-Clear:
Our studio is the perfect setting for tackling this very issue. Our sessions can include facial steaming, skin unclogging enzyme peels as well as electrical tools like ultrasonic cleansing to soften and ease the dislodge blackheads via manual extractions to decongest the skin. We use a high-powered light and magnifying lenses to ensure we are offering precise extractions without damaging the skin.
Regular facial sessions and tweaks to your home regimen can help reduce blackheads and help them from forming.
