Blackheads are one of the most common forms of acne. And Although people who have oily
skin are more likely to get blackheads, anyone can actually develop them and can be frustrating
to get rid of. SO in this video, ill go over how to get rid of blackheads, and some steps
you can take right now to keep those blackheads at bay, so stay tuned till the end.
Hi guys, yaseen arsalan, media pharmacist here on youtube where I help you guys make
better and more informed decisions about your health and wellness. So if thats something
your into, Be sure to smash that like button below NOW and turn on the notification bell
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on instagram too to stay more connected So without further ado, lets get straight into
it. A lot of people think that blackheads are
dark because that’s the color of the dirt in the pore. But The truth is, blackheads
get their color because the oil and skin that clog the pore “oxidize when they come into
contact with air. Knowing how they form, gives you clues into knowing how to prevent them,
so I think its useful to know not only what they are but how they appear on your skin.
You see, blackheads form when pores become clogged with a combination of skin cells and
excess oil or (sebum) from your sebaceous glands sometimes as a result of overproduction.
And when you have Excess keratin part of the picture, a protein your skin needs for protection,
combined with that same very, sebum, this combination is whats known for plugging the
opening of the follicle we then call a microcomedo. Blackheads are essentially a type of comedo,
like whiteheads, but they differ in that A whitehead is a closed comedone with a thin
layer of skin over top of it. A blackhead, on the other hand, is an open comedone. ANd
boy are they tempting to squeeze. So you might be thinking, well what causes an overproduction
of skin cells and sebum, if we can control that, wont we then not need treatments to
begin with? And thats a very important question to ask, because its targeting the root problem,
and i think its important to address. Here are 5 reasons why we can be overproducing
skin, keratin, and sebum. 1.) blocking or covering pores by cosmetics and clothing.
2.) Excessive sweating. 3.) High humidity and grease in your environment. 4.) Medications
that encourage cell turnover as well as use of corticosteroids. 5.) Underlying health
conditions such as hormonal imbalances, pcos and pms. There’s 5 reasons right there that
could be potential causes and contrary to popular belief: poor hygiene does not directly
cause blackheads, so its not fair to make that assumption about yourself or others.
Now that we got the how and why blackheads form, lets get into getting rid of them.
The first thing you want to make sure youre doing is using the right makeup and sunscreen.
Non-comedogenic makeup and skin products are specifically designed to not clog your pores.
Make sure they are both labeled as non-comedogenic, because last thing we want to find out is
our everyday products being the culprit to our clogged pores. Coconut oil for example,
is highly comedogenic so I’d avoid it if you’re prone to blackheads This step alone
can help cut down on the number of blackheads you have. On that same note:try to avoid wearing
oily and super heavy products. A good rule of thumb is the thinner the product, the better.
Remember, Anytime something is on your skin – even a moisturizer – it has the potential
to clog your pores. So choose your products wisely and dont forget to remove your makeup
before going to bed. Number 2: Use an alpha or beta hydroxy acid
cleanser. Alpha or beta hydroxy acid, also known as AHAs and BHAs, are a group of compounds
known for many skin care benefits. If you want to go down the salicylic acid route.
Start with the popular 2% and modify the amount you use based on how your skin reacts. If
its too drying, go down a bit. You don’t want to layer AHAs and BHAs on top of one
another. These are both exfoliators, so using both can cause dryness and irritation. I personally
have had better results with salicylic acid than your typical ahas on the market such
as glycolic acid, since salicylic acid is more lipid soluble which means it can penetrate
deep inside pores to remove the gunk, as well as work effectively at the top layer too on
that non-inflammatory acne. And its great on oily skin too. In the past, you may have
heard that exfoliating produces a negative effect on acne. And This can be true for like
inflammatory acne, as it may further redness and irritation. But specifically for blackheads,
though, regular exfoliation can help remove excessive amounts of dead skin cells that
eventually lead to clogged pores and treat existing blackheads at the same time. Its
hard to give a general amount of times you need to be using it because this largely is
Depending on how sensitive the skin is, so some may find a balance for limiting their
use of salicylic acid products to once every few days as opposed to every single day. But
if youre still unsure on how many times to use it, ask your dermatologist and they can
give you more details on your specific skin type, because there may be some fine tuning
needed. On that note: AHAs and BHAs remove a layer of skin, which may make skin more
vulnerable to UVA and UVB rays. So don’t forget your SPF if you’re going outside.
Youre non comedogenic spf that is. And Number 3: Prevent overexfoliation. Exfoliation
is an important part of every skin care routine – but it’s very easy to overdo it. And
if you look up how many times a week you should be exfoliating. You’ll be given a a variety
of different answers, from once a week, to no more than 3 times a week, to once every
10 days. The main objective with preventing overexffoliating is that this will dry out
your skin very quickly. And When your skin is dried out it produces more oil, which contributes
to MORE blackheads! So Your best bet is to keep exfoliating to a minimum. And there are
essentially 2 ways for exfoliating. Chemical exfoliating with your aha’s and bha’s
and physically exfoliating with using various tools or abrasive substances to physically
slough away the outermost layer of the skin. You definitely want to be cautious of not
overdoing both or using them on the same day! Since chemical exfoliants do not involve rubbing
the skin, they are generally safer than many physical exfoliants like your exfoliating
brushes or scrubs. To mitigate any negative effects you may be experiencing lets say if
youre using the acids route, it pays to start with an acid that has a larger molecule size
– such as lactic acid at first. Lactic Acid, which at 3 microns in size is only 1 micron
larger than Glycolic Acid, which is still 50% larger. Larger sizes of AHA’s means
that they stay on the skin's surface as opposed to sinking in deeper causing further exfoliation.
So if youre new to exfoliating, start as gentle as you can and listen to how your skin responds
to treatment. A lot of people may confuse what is known
as sebaceous filaments for blackheads. And i think its important to bring that up here
as well. Sebaceous filaments look like blackheads and appear on the nose, but are totally different.
Ill put up a picture so you can see the difference. They tend to be smaller, appear in groups,
and feel flat to the touch and are basically glands that channel the flow of sebum through
the pores. And Unlike blackheads, they are not a form of acne.
Now lets look at what you want to avoid for treating blackheads. The number 1 thing is
squeezing. Avoid squeezing blackheads, even with a metal blackhead remover, as this can
irritate the skin and make the problem worse. Number 2: Try to avoid pore strips too. Although
pore strips and masks can help remove gunk from your pores, they can also remove natural
oils and hair follicles, which can cause your skin to dry out and become irritated, putting
you back into that vicious cycle producing even more oil, resulting in more blackheads.Number
3: Avoid at home extraction methods. You run the risk of damaging your skin when its not
done professionally. Your dermatologist may recommend a chemical peel or microdermabrasion
as other viable options for your blackheads. Number 4: Skip the benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl
peroxide works by reducing swelling, which is a key marker of inflammatory acne, like
in cysts and pustules.Blackheads are not considered inflammatory types of acne, so it wont have
a significant effect. It won’t hurt, but it probably won’t help either.
In the end, Youll find that blackheads go away with time and hopefully not require much
treatment at all. Remember, Any new acne regimen, including one for blackheads, can take anywhere
from 6 to 12 weeks to really take full effect.The hardest part is really Finding the right skin
care regimen and lifestyle habits to reduce those blackheads, while being patient with
some good ol fashioned trial and error. But really, Taking time to research and experiment
with different products is likely to give the best results that work for your skin type.
And thats it guys, I hope that this video helps give you a better understanding on getting
rid of blackheads. All in all, I also hope this video was insightful to you guys, the
only thing I ask in return is just a simple like down below for the youtube algorithm.
Thanks for sticking tuned till the end, and as always, Ill see you on the next one.