Most of us are familiar with the terms- Blackheads and Whiteheads. For those who are new to the concept; Blackhead is a yellow or blackish bump or plug on the skin which is usually found on the face or the back. It occurs when a plug forms in the opening to a hair follicle. This plug forms when the oil gland in our hair follicles is blocked by sebum (or oil) filled with dirt and debris. When this plug covering bursts and the plug comes in contact with air, it forms a black dot. Hence the name Blackhead.
Whitehead is also filled with the same material. But it remains white because it has not come in contact with air yet.
So there goes the basic concept for Black-White heads. Now that you know what it is, go look in the mirror to check if you have it on your face yet.
If you have not found anything like the above picture, then Congrats!
But many of us are not fortunate enough… we have to deal with these pesky little problems every day.
If you are kind of fed-up trying to clear out your blackheads, don’t give up your hope yet.
I am going to help you to diminish black-white heads at the comfort of your own home!
EVERYDAY STEPS TO MINIMIZE BLACKHEADS
- Keep your hands clean and touch your face less.
- Clean your face with a mild facial wash after you get home from outside and before you go to bed.
- Take an unused soft bristled toothbrush and GENTLY massage your nose with your facial wash. Do this every other day.
OR,
- Use a black head removing scrub…but only on your nose. I use home made Cinnamon Scrub (recipe here). You can also use Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Scrub. Use this with gentle motion and on every other day.
HOW TO EXTRACT BLACKHEADS
**Blackhead extraction should be left to the professionals**.
If you are still interested to pursue, here’s what you will need,
- Blackhead extractor OR
- Blackhead removing strips
Blackheads can be removed with a “Blackhead extractor”. But I strongly suggest not trying this if you do not have the proper knowledge. You will damage the area more if you don’t know what you are doing.
- Steam your face. Allow some time to pass so that you face starts “sweating”.
- Blot the face with a clean tissue paper keeping a little bit of moisture.
- Now go to a well lit place and look into the mirror. Place the spoon of the blackhead extractor over the plug and gently press against your skin. Roll the spoon area to exert some pressure. The plug and some sebum will collect in the concave side of the spoon.
If you are uncomfortable using the extractor, use the no-hassle blackhead strips instead. Steam your face like before and apply the pore strips as instructed. I use Biore deep cleansing pore Strips and those are really worth the price.
HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE BLACKHEADS and WHITEHEADS
- Scrub your face once per week. I use an amazing homemade Cinnamon scrub that gets rid of flaky skin and any onset of blackheads. Click here for my cinnamon scrub recipe.
- Use a clay mask once per week. I do not use any essential oil… I just mix the clay with some water and apply it. This kind of mask soaks up the oil and tightens the pores.
- Avoid using heavy moisturizers that just clogs up the pores and causes breakouts & blackheads. Choose a moisturizer with fewer ingredients.
- Clean your face properly after using any makeup.
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Do not use your finger nails to extract black-white heads. Bacteria on your fingers and nails can infect the site.
- Do not use a harsh facial cleanser.
How will you know if it’s harsh? Well, if the cleanser makes you skin drier than Sahara after every use, then it’s a harsh facial wash for your skin. Using a harsher cleanser causes overproduction of oil in our skin. - Wash your pillow-cover on a weekly basis.
- Blot your face with tissue or blotting paper throughout the day to soak up the excess oil before it can build up.
UPDATE:
This article is updated on 2021. Currently I use a couple of different products to handle the blackheads. My tops picks are Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz mask and Microdermabrasion gadget. Here are some other products I tried and liked.
How do you take care of your blackheads? Share your insider tips with us!
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9 comments
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Hey Mireya! When you are doing the full-on facial routine, pore strips work better after you have applied steam. But if you are not doing the whole routine, just want to get rid of the blackheads, then wash your nose area as usual and apply the strip.
Oh! I also read your DIY for home spa treatments, and I was wondering in what step should you use the pore strips?
Thanks so much, I'm a beginner with all of this type of stuff and your posts helped out a lot. Ill definitely try your tips!
Hi Mireya!
The clay mask should be tightened after 10-15 minutes..I keep it until it becomes tight. And about the pore strips, it depends on your blackhead condition. As for me, I use it once or twice a month.
And how often should you use the pore strips?
How long should you have the clay mask on?
Most welcome! Glad to help 🙂
thank u dear for these infos 🙂 i'll definitely try them…my nose is a blachheads forest 🙁