Despite their annoyance and cause of embarrassment the answer to the common question of “how do I get rid of blackheads” is actually quite simple and doesn’t usually require any specialist treatment from a doctor. To understand how to get rid of them it is best to understand how they develop.
The skin is made up of thousands of tiny little holes called pores. These are used by the skin to take in nutrients from the sun and to sweat (release water) from the body. They are also used to secrete oils in order to keep the skin healthy and smooth.
During adolescence and sometimes throughout adulthood this creation of oil becomes excessive in correlation with hormones and growth, causing greasy skin and the renowned cases of teenage spots. When excessive oil is secreted from the pores and forced out of the skin it dries out and scabs over causing tiny little black specs known as blackheads. So “how do I get rid of blackheads?”
The easiest option is prevention. Keep the skin clean and don’t overuse cleaning products or makeup which can clog up the pores. For a lot of people this isn’t enough, so if that is the case you can buy special blackhead facial scrubs which clean out the pours and dry the skin of excessive oils. Even then scrubs aren’t always affective so turning to a blackhead strip may be a better option. These stick to the affected area (usually the nose) and physically pull them out of the routes. This is the most effective option but can be painful and leave redness.
If none of the above options work it is best to visit a doctor or an expert dermatologist that can give you more advice and treatment that isn’t available in the shops.
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