How to get rid of Blackheads, Whiteheads, and Get that Acne Under Control
First of all, let's understand what's going on.
Blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, zits, all are forms of acne. Although each type is different, the root cause is the same: You have pores which secrete oil next to each little hair on your face and body. In the teen-to-twenties years, most of us secrete more oil than we ever will again in the rest of our lives. We are also more active (therefore sweatier) than ever. This combination of sweat and oil, combined with dead skin cells, feeds bacteria, which can cause the pores to become infected. This will cause a whitehead or pimple-- but only when the skin cells lining the inside of the pores are not "zapped" (keratinized) by the proper enzymes in your skin. So they build up and block the pore. Poor pore.
Anyhow, if the dead skin cells block it really well, you're going to get a blackhead. If they block it and also block bacteria, you're going to get a whitehead or pimple. The more "gunk" the bacteria have to feed on (dead skin cells), the bigger the pimple.
SIDE NOTE: By the way, it's not oil getting trapped. The oil seeps right through! (News, right? It's because when your teacher/parents/cosmetologist went to school, they didn't learn this; it's kind of new info.) Here's the other rub, also: Your skin is supposed to be breaking down those dead cells to their basic molecules. However, you know how the hormones get crazy between the ages of say, twelve and twenty-five? Yeah, well, some of those hormones control the enzymes that do the disintegrating. Or perhaps we should say, fail to control them. That's when the problems occur. However, there is...
Good News!
There is good news for this. You can zap those dead skin cells by faithfully applying a treatment containing Benzoyl Peroxide.* It will break down the skin cells, and as a bonus, dry up oil and help to sanitize your skin.
I do not recommend this single treatment as the "cure" in and of itself, however. You must prevent the bacteria from growing by killing them as well. Don't give them a place to hide. Wash your face TWICE a day with a good Salicylic Acid** cleanser, use a GENTLE scrub like All Clear Skin Scrub** from BeautiControl, and follow it with an astringent toner to close the pores. All Clear Solutions** is the best I've ever used. It has the astringent properties you need, plus an extra dose of salicylic acid to kill the bacteria.
Now, for persistent blackheads, prevention is really the best cure. But if you are already stuck with those nasty pore blockers, I really recommend the Clear Pore Strips by Biore*. If you follow the directions CAREFULLY and PERFECTLY, they will actually "grab" the blackheads off your nose, chin, etc. and pull them out. Do NOT get impatient, though! Wait the full time. And if you like the results, but want more (or is it less?), you will have to wait a few days before trying again. There's really no point in treating the same area twice in one day.
Well, I hope this article has been helpful to you. I have written quite a bit more on the subject on my website. http://my-fresh-ideas.com . I invite you to visit and learn more about:
Keep the Bacteria Away: How to Cleanse and Tone Your Face (without damaging or drying it out)
How to Prevent or Get Rid of Acne: Lifestyle Changes
How to Get Rid of Scars
A further list of recommended reading at http://my-fresh-ideas.com/books.html
*Find a good benzoyl peroxide treatment, e.g. All Clear Outta Sight nighttime blemish treatment or All Clear Sulfur Acne Masque **Find a good salicylic acid treatment, e.g. All Clear Solutions astringent toner and All Clear Spot Treatment. Go to http://my-fresh-ideas.com/acneProne.html
About the Author
Anne Ramirez is a beauty, color, and image consultant with 27 years' experience in the field. She maintains an informative website on these topics at: http://my-fresh-ideas.com/WaronAcne.html
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