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Black Heads




Dealing with blackheads is a major part of growing up. Blackheads can be quite annoying and may make your skin appear dark.. Along with whiteheads and red bumps, blackheads form what is commonly known as acne. Blackheads and whiteheads are also known as comedones.

What are blackheads?


Blackheads are called open comedones by dermatologists. They are follicles which have openings wider than usual. Blackheads are filled with sebum and cast off skin. They appear black due to oxidation of melanin after undergoing chemical reaction. The oxidation causes the follicle to turn black.

Skin care and treatment of blackheads


Till date, no permanent or quick solution to the blackheads has been found. The cause of blackheads can be many, including hereditary and lifestyle factors. Treatment is thus, time consuming, and often misplaced. However, the best and well tried way to minimize blackheads and other forms of acne is to take proper care of the skin. Keeping the skin fresh and clean is very important.


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Using cleansing agents like mild soaps, face washes and facial scrubs helps, as they remove excess sebum from the pores and clean off dead cells. Oil based make-up should be avoided. Excessive scrubbing of the skin and avoiding oily food does not help much.

Some of the well known treatments for blackheads include Benzoyl Peroxide, Tretinoin, Isotretinoin and prescription topical antibiotics. Use should be preceded by medical supervision. Extraction is also an effective way of dealing with blackheads. An expert skin specialist should be able to extract the material within the pores in a relatively painless way.