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Home :: Skin Disorders :: Blackheads Removal
Blackheads - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment to Get Rid of it Soon
Definition:
Blackheads are small, dark spots which are the collections of oil and debris that clog pores. First of all, when it develops it's called whiteheads - but as they come into contact with the atmospheric oxygen, a chemical reaction takes place and the mixture darkens and turns to blackheads. Unclean skin is a breading ground for blackheads. Blackheads are a mixture of dead cells of the skin, oil and bacteria.
Blackheads are the primary lesions in acne. Blackheads, also known as open comdones, are flat, darkened spots. It is caused by a small plug of keratin and sebum within a hair follicle that is blackened at the surface in the opening of a follicle.
Their dark appearance is caused by the densely packed skin cells, which take on a dark color. A term used to describe the skin's pores clogged by natural oils and impurities. It is formed when oil and dead skin cells become trapped in a pore and mix with bacteria. They are called open comedones because blackheads are open to the skin's surface and become darkened at the surface by exposure to oxygen (oxidation).
Causes of blackheads:
Some Important Causes of Blackheads includes:
Blackheads are caused when sebum (the skin's natural oil) collects and hardens in the pores. The toxins that are being expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid combines with sebum creating a pasty glue. A blackhead occurs when the trapped sebum and bacteria partially open to the surface and turn black due to melanin, the skin's pigment.
Use of ineffective cleanser or following a poor cleansing routine - results in accumulation of staled dead cells, hardened sebaceous secretion, salt (from sweat), waste, bacteria, dirt; as well as waxes, coloured pigments for those using makeup and/or fatty-based skin care products.
Acne, is another one of the main cause of blackheads. It is caused by the overactivity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances onto the skin.
Other possible causes of blackheads are:
- Genetics: If there is the history of blackheads in your family, then you are more prone to get affected by blackheads.
- Hormones: The condition when hormones get imbalance, they may cause blackheads. Overactivity of testosterone in people prone to blackheads, triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of sebum. At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles are not shed properly and clog up the follicles.
- Prescribed Medications: Some prescribed medications may also lead to formation of blackheads as a side effect , though this is a rare cause.
- Oil Based Cosmetics : The oil based cosmetics may also induces blackheads due to allergic reactions.
- Stress: Stress, is another factor - which may contribute to a person's lack of personal hygiene or caring, and physical irritations such as tight clothing rubbing on the same spot are also factors that can influence the formation of blackheads.
- Physical irritation
- Humidity and Environmental Pollutants: The weather, including humidity or environmental pollutants, which increase perspiration and can clog the pores with mini-particles also add to the factors that can cause blackheads.
Symptoms for Blackheads
People of all ages get blackheads, but it is most common in adolescents. Nearly 85 percent of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24 develop the disorder.
Common Symptoms of Blackheads:
- Coarse skin complexion may lead to the condition of blackheads.
- If your skin pores get enlarged, they may inturns to blackheads.
- Flaky skin shows the presence of blackheads.
- Mouldy skin appearance
- Makeup doesn't stay in the skin of peoples, who are suffering from blackheads.
- Blackheads appear in areas of skin that have a large number of sebaceous glands.
Blackheads consists of several different types of 'spot', which can be roughly divided as follows:
- Acne - In serious conditions, pimples and acnes become the symptoms of blackheads.
- Whiteheads - Small, firm bumps with a white centre.
- Pustules - Pus-filled spots with an obvious balloon of white pus, which may turn yellow as the spot begins to heal.
- Nodules - Hard Lumps under the skin that can be very painful, go deep into the skin and often cause scars. These are the most common type of spot found in very severe acne, and they often run together in groups. When they heal, they may leave scars.
Treatment for Blackheads:
If you consult some beautician for the treatment of your blackheads, make sure, a sterilized implement is used for removing blackheads. A gadget, known as 'blackhead extractor' is available these days. It should be cleaned regularly and the gadget should be kept in hydrogen peroxide before use.
Some Effective Tips to Get Rid of Blackheads:
- Use creams containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Fruit acids) like glyco-creams that will clear away any dead skin cells and "expose" the blackhead.
- Keep your hair away from your face. Greasy hair and skin go together, and hair can spread infection.
- Avoid washing the face with soaps more than twice a day. Instead you may wash your face many a times in a day but with plain water.
- A drug named " adapalene " does wonder in reducing the blackhead formation by stimulation of skin growth through modulation of cellular differentiation and keratinization of follicular epithelial cells, i.e. it encourages skin peeling.
- Doctors usually recommend an OTC or prescription topical medication for people with mild signs of blackheads. Topical medicine is applied directly on the blackheads or on the entire area of affected skin. Medicines or Lotions include - Benzoyl Peroxide, Resorcinol, Salicylic Acid, and Sulfur are the most common topical OTC medicines used to treat blackheads.
- Oral Antibiotics (tablets), such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory blackheads.
- Antibiotics - help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation.
- Apply an astringent. It helps reduce oiliness. If its a bit harsh mix a bit of rose water in it.
- Gram Flour and Curd - Apply a paste of gram flour and curd on the affected area. When the mixture hardens and dries up, gently scrap off with your finger tips and wash the face.
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