Acne is the most common skin condition that afflicts Americans. This skin condition comes in many forms, from the mild to the severe and affects almost 50 million Americans every year. One type of acne are blackheads, a mild form of the skin condition. Although blackheads and other types of acne are more common among teens and younger adults, almost anyone can develop and unsightly crop of blackheads. They may not be so terrible as other blemishes, but they’re still unsightly and obvious.
If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals to remove blackheads on your nose, there are plenty of blackhead removal methods that use natural substances. Learn about these natural blackhead removal tips today, as well as some effective means of blackhead prevention, such as eating the right food and proper hygiene.
What are Blackheads?
Unless you’re a dermatologist, you may be wondering what are blackheads? Blackheads look like small bumps on the skin, usually on the face. However, they may appear on your chest, back and even your arms or shoulders. This is because blackheads are hair follicles clogged with microparticles or sebum.
Microparticles can be dead skin cells, microscopic pieces of dirt and even mites. Sebum is a naturally occurring substance produced by sebaceous glands in your skin. When either of these substances choke a hair follicle, they cause a small dark raised lump.
The difference between a blackhead and whitehead is that a whitehead is a closed and clogged pore. A blackhead is clogged but remains open. The dark appearance is because of air exposure. Without proper blackhead prevention, the blemish may worsen and increase in size.
What Causes Blackheads?
Blackheads can occur for a number of reasons, ranging from natural occurring to the side effects of medical conditions or drugs.
Below are some of the most causes of blackhead formation. Understanding them can help you remove blackheads on your nose and face.
- Sebum produced by your sebaceous glands usually acts as protection against dirt and exposure. This is a mixture of fat and oil that prevents your skin from drying up. However, certain dietary habits and chemical interactions can cause your body to produce excessive sebum. This can choke your pores and cause both blackheads and whiteheads.
- Certain bacteria are actually important in keeping the skin balanced. One of them is a bacterium known as Propionibacterium acnes. These bacteria thrive in the fat-rich environment of pores and help prevent diseases like dermatitis and psoriasis. An overabundance of the bacteria on the other hand can block hair follicles instead.
- The human skin is constantly shedding microscopic flakes. The average human sheds approximately 35 kilograms of dead skin over their entire lifetime or approximately 0.09 grams an hour. These debris can build up on your face and skin if you don’t wash regularly, sealing up pores and hair follicles.
- Hormonal imbalance can lead to overproduction of body chemicals, which is why acne such as blackheads are common among adolescents and menstruating women. It’s also routinely associated with pregnancy, due to the massive effects it has on hormones. Acne can be a sign that you’re undergoing hormonal problems as your body causes sebum and other substances to fluctuate.
- Drugs that regulate hormones and similar chemical reactions can cause imbalances that cause acnes. These drugs include birth control medication. Medicaltreatment related to hormonal disorders can cause similar side effects, causing acne to bloom on your face and body.
How Can You Remove Blackheads Naturally?
Blackhead removal methods are common because of how prevalent the skin condition is. But the most readily available ways of removing blackheads from your nose and face typically involve chemical face washes and similarly harsh cleaning agents. Not only can these chemical products react negatively to some skin types, they’re also not great for the environment. If you’re skin reacts to chemicals, you may have to find hypoallergenic alternatives.
Here are some natural blackhead removal methods you can consider if you want to keep your skin free of blemishes without using chemical products.
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Clay Mask
Facials are among the most effective methods of removing blackheads and reducing the general oiliness of your skin. Among the most effective types of facials are clay masks. Certain types of clay have incredible absorbent properties that allow them to leach off oil from your pores and collect other impurities, such as dead skin and dirt.
The key to clay masks is to choose those made from the right kind of clay. These kinds of clay include fuller’s earth, which is made from aluminum silicates and other fine-grained earth particles. Mixing some of fuller’s earth with water and applying on your face for half an hour every night can help reduce oiliness and eventually clear up your face and nose.
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Facial Steaming
Saunas and steam treatments have been used for centuries to cleanse the body of impurities. Steam opens up your pores, loosening clogs and reducing swelling. It can also soften blockages, like coagulated sebum and dead skin. Exposing your face to steam also causes sweating, which can help your hair follicles flush out impurities.
When steaming your face, you need to be careful to avoid burns and other injuries. Boil some water and pour it into a bowl. A small deep bowl is preferable to avoid cooling it too soon. Wait about half a minute before putting your face over the bowl and covering yourself with a towel. If you have heart conditions or respiratory issues, consult your doctor before considering facial steaming.
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Proper Food and Hydration
The food you eat inevitably affects your skin. Too much fatty food and sugar causes your body to release it in the form of sebum. This is why people who overeat sugar and sodas tend to have more acne and pimples. When you don’t drink enough water, you don’t sweat as much and you compromise your body’s ability to flush out debris. Both of these are ideal conditions for blackheads.
One of the best ways to remove blackheads is simply eating well and staying hydrated. Reduce the amount of food with high fat content such as junk food and decrease consumption of sugars. This can help you lose weight effectively as well as clear up your skin.
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Baking Soda Face Wash
Baking soda is usually used to reduce odors and in baking, but you can use it as a low chemical alternative to face wash. Baking sofa is an effective exfoliant, cleansing pores of dirt and oil. It can also dislodge dead skin cells from your hair follicles. It’s also a base substance, meaning it can reduce acidic imbalance on your face. However, as effective as baking soda is as a natural blackhead remover, its also a very abrasive and drying substance. Make sure you don’t wash your face with baking soda more than two to three times a week. After using baking soda as a blackhead remover, be sure rinse your face thoroughly with warm water and use the moisturizer of your choice.
How Can You Prevent Blackheads?
As effective these natural blackhead removal methods can be, the adage about prevention and cures still holds true. Ensuring that blackheads don’t develop or get any worse is way better than any blackhead removal method.
Here are some effective ways on how to prevent blackheads from breaking out on your nose and face.
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Exfoliation
The root cause of blackheads is your pores and hair follicles clogging up. Exfoliation is the best way when you’re looking for methods on how to prevent blackheads. Exfoliation is the process of removing dead cells from your skin and it can be accomplished with many natural methods mentioned above like clay face masks and baking soda wash. If you exfoliate regularly, with mild natural cleaning, you can prevent blackheads from developing fully.
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Face Washing
Just like exfoliating, regular face washing with warm clean water is an effective method of preventing and removing blackheads. Through the course of the day, your face sloughs off dead skin, produces sebum and can be soiled by all sorts of microscopic particles. Going to bed without washing your face will lead to acne formation. Before sleeping or after spending a long time outdoors, wash your face with warm water and the natural face wash of your choice.
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Clean Fabrics
Finally, your bedsheets and other fabrics may be causing your skin to break out. Threads and cloth traps dirt, mites and other particles, which can transfer to your face when you sleep. Ideally, you should change your bedsheets and pillowcases every one or two weeks, depending on the environment and how quickly dust accumulates. Wash them thoroughly with organic laundry products and you may notice an immediate improvement of your skin quality.
Blackhead removal is a lucrative business for big companies that use chemical additives and harsh substances. However, the right application of natural blackhead removers can help you keep your face and body free from blemishes without fear of damaging your skin or the environment.
