Acne Articles

Today I?m going to talk about something that?s closely related to acne, and that?s blackheads.

Although blackheads aren?t given as much attention as acne (probably because they are less noticeable, to some extent) they are still something you need to get rid of if you are to have a clear complexion.

So how do you get rid of these blackheads?

Most people think the best way to remove them is by squeezing them. But this is actually something that you shouldn?t do. Why? Because you may remove a few of them but you?re not really curing the problem that is causing them to appear in the first place. If you tackle the cause the problem rather than the symptom, you?ll have much better results.

So what is the cause of blackheads? It?s most often the result of the glands in your skin making too much sebum (which is the oil of your skin). This over production also traps dead skin cells into your pores. The reason they are black in color, is because it is in contact with air when it?s formed.

But that?s enough of the science lesson. How do you get rid of the pesky things?

The best method for removing blackheads is actually quite simple, and can be done in two steps.

Here?s the first step: All you need to do is use a good (but gentle) cleanser regular. Twice a day (once in the morning, once before you go to bed) is a good habit to get in to. This will keep your pores clean of dead skin cells and remove the build up of sebum.

Listen: It?s important that you use a gentle cleanser for this. It?s not a good idea to use anything that will cause your skin to dry out, because that will only cause your skin to make more sebum, okay? So spend a few dollars for a good cleanser.

The next step is to use a gentle exfoliant. This will help do the job of removing dead skin cells that ma y be in your pores, and the cleanser hasn?t removed. If you don?t have a big problem with blackheads, then you could possibly get away with just using a cleanser. But if you really want to get rid of them, exfoliating your skin will help.

Now some people just prefer to squeeze their blackheads. So why shouldn?t you?

In the long-run you?ll be making it worse. You may remove one or two, but in the process of removing them, you are sowing the seeds for future blackheads to appear.

How? By applying pressure to your face, you are pushing the dead skin cells and sebum into your pores. If you must squeeze them, please open your pores by having a bath, or just washing your face with a hot towel. At least you won?t have to apply so much pressure. But in all honestly, 9 times out of 10 it?s counter-productive to squeeze your blackheads.