What is the cause of blackheads?

Blackheads are caused when sebum (the skin's natural oil) collects and hardens in the pores. The congesting toxins that are being expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid combines with sebum creating a pasty glue. The exposed tip becomes oxidized and black, hence the name - blackheads . Oily and combination skins are most susceptible to these. The skin's most dense oil glands are located in T-zone. That is why there you get the most blackheads.

All forms of acne have their origin in wrong eating habits, such as irregular hours of eating, excessive consumption of starch, sugar, fried and fatty foods. Chronic constipation is another cause of acne. If the bowels do not move properly, the waste matter is not eliminated as quickly as it should be and the bloodstream becomes surcharged with toxic matter. The extra efforts of the skin to eliminate excess waste result in acne and other forms of skin diseases. Other causes of this disorder are a devitalized condition of the skin resulting from unhygienic living habits, excessive use of tea, coffee, alcohol, or tobacco.

Factors that contribute to the condition are stress, heredity, oily skin, the use of cosmetics and overwashing or repeated rubbing of the skin.

Effective Tips to get rid of blackheads

Following this routine, in a matter of days you will be getting rid of blackheads.

* Exfoliate the blackhead prone area 3-4 times a week using facial exfoliators and scrubs.

* Use creams containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Fruit acids) like glyco-creams that will clear away any dead skin cells and "expose" the blackhead.

* Use the AHA's every 3 days or so.

* Keep your hair away from your face. Greasy hair and skin go together, and hair can spread infection.

* Sunshine or ultra-violet light encourages skin peeling, and so helps to clear blocked pores. So sunbathing or use of sun-beds in moderation can be helpful.

* Avoid washing the face with soaps more than twice a day. Instead wash your face often with plain water splashes.

* Often use a mask with a clay base.

To squeeze or not to squeeze?

If blackheads look ready to pop out, you could try removing them gently by using a blackhead extractor. This is a neat little instrument with a hole at one end, available from chemists. Pressure around the blackhead helps it to pop out through the hole. Also, Pore cleanser strips are highly recommended for the treatment/removal of blackheads. Using them once per week will leave your pores cleaner and smaller.

Otherwise use your fingers. Steam your face first to soften both the skin and the material blocking the pores. Then wrap the fingers in tissues and gently roll against either side of the blackhead. If it won't budge easily, leave well alone, as too much pressure will bruise and break the skin, making your face red and blotchy for days to come, and possibly leaving tiny broken veins. Finish by applying a medicated cream to the empty pore.

Only ever squeeze a spot with a definite head that looks about to burst - pressure on an unready infected spot spreads bacteria below the skin's surface, infecting the surrounding tissue. Bad spots need a doctor's advice, and he may suggest antibiotic or even hormone therapy.

Ways to loosen the blackheads:

* Steaming the Pores

Steaming can be done as often as twice a week but for no longer than 10 minutes at a time. This is a great way to clean out pores and loosen blackheads.

* Combine 1/4 cup boiling water with one teaspoon of Epsom salt and three drops of iodine.
Let mixture cool until it's comfortable to the touch.

Saturate a cotton ball with this mixture and dab on blackheads.
This will allow them to loosen so they can be easily squeezed with a gauze pad.

* Combine equal parts baking soda and water in your hand and rub gently on your skin for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Home Remedies

Once again soap and water combined with a steam routine seems to be the best approach.
Add dried lemon peels to a mug of boiling water and steam your face in this solution for 10 minutes. As a result, your pores will open up. Press the skin around the blackheads with cotton wool or tissue. Then close the pores with an astringent solution.

If the blackheads are still clinging on stubbornly, pat some almond oil on them and gently press with hot towels after trying both the earlier mentioned steaming processes.

Milk has also been used in the treatment of blackheads. The way to do this is to wash your face with warm water and then sponge it for fifteen minutes with lukewarm milk every day. A little warmed honey applied on the face for fifteen minutes can also help to clear blackheads.

You can also make your own homemade exfoliating scrub. Dissolve four powdered almonds, some sandal powder and one part of Multani mitti in a little water. Then rub this solution onto the blackhead-affected areas on your face.

More Home Remedies

Mix groundnut oil with an equal amount of fresh lime juice and apply on face. leave for 10-15 minutes and wash. It may be applied daily to prevent formation of blackheads, acne and pimples.

Apply fresh lime juice mixed to a glass of boiled milk as a face wash for acne, pimples, blackheads, and cracked skin.

Make a paste of roasted & powdered pomgranate skin with fresh lime juice and apply over acne, boils, pimple, blackheads and whiteheads.

Apply grated potatoes as poultice to treat skin blemishes, wrinkles, boils, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads , etc.

Make a paste of ground radish seeds with water and apply on face to remove blackheads.

Use an oatmeal or almond mask throughly to cleanse your face. Mix either oatmeal or almond powder with enough rose water to make a soft paste that spreads easily on the skin. Rub it on your skin with your fingertips, paying special attention the problem areas. Leave to dry for about 15 minutes and then rinse off with cold water. This is very good in getting rid of blackheads.

A solution made out of one and a half cups of hot water and half a tablespoon of boric powder is an ideal remedy for blackheads, Saturate a face napkin in this hot solution and press on to the skin, repeat twice. Extract blackheads carefully with a blackhead remover and sterilized cottonwool. Pat on an astrigent.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek is another useful remedy for acne. A paste made of the leaves of this vegetable, applied over the face every night before going to bed and washed with warm water in the morning, prevents pimples and blackheads.

Cucumber: Grated cucumber applied over the face, eyes, and neck for fifteen to twenty minutes has been found effective. It is the best tonic for the skin of the face. Its regular use prevents pimples and blackheads.

Lime Juice: Mix 1-teaspoon limejuice with1 teaspoon finely ground cinnamon powder. Apply it on the affected areas frequently.

Turmeric: Mix 1 teaspoon each turmeric powder with fresh coriander juice. Apply it as a face pack regularly before going to sleep.

Egg Whites:
Soak a large piece of cotton wool in egg white.
Cover the affected area with the cotton wool and allow to dry and harden completely.
Carefully remove the dried cotton wool. With luck, the black heads would stick to the cotton wool and come off with it.

Kaolin:
Mix 2 heaped tablespoons with enough kaolin to make a smooth paste that spreads easily.
Apply that paste thickly over the affected area.
Allow to dry and harden completely.
Peel off the kaolin in large solid pieces. The black heads should come off with it.

Face Pack to remove the black heads from the face:
6 oz (1/2 cup) boil water
27 gms soda bicarbonate.
Mix soda bicarbonate in boiled/distilled water and apply this mixture on the face.

Applying lemon juice on the face will also help remove black heads from the face. Good for oily skin.

Applying milk on the face regularly also helps in removing black heads forever. Good for dry skin.

Mysteria says

Remember we learned about aromatherapy last month, with essential oils you can try this.

Eucalyptus or Lavender Essential Oil

* A facial steam, using several drops of essential oil, is particularly helpful for blackheads.

*Caution* If the areas are badly inflamed, do not use steam treatments as this may worsen the condition.

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