What is the best way to get rid of blackheads?

Most people have suffered from blackheads at some stage in their lives. They are typically associated with teenage skin, but they can happen at any age.

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According to the National Health Service, blackheads originate as small yellowish bumps on the surface of the skin. They obtain their dark colour from pigmentation in the inner lining of the hair follicle and not from dirt as is widely believed.

How blackheads form in the skin

The wax plug that forms the blackhead is made up of dead skin cells, debris and bacteria. They are more common in people with oily skin and those who have excess oil production. This explains why teens get a lot of blackheads. Hormonal changes around adolescence cause an increase in oil production by the sebaceous glands.

Blackheads are most common on the T-zone of the face (the forehead, nose and chin). These areas contain the highest concentration of sebaceous glands.

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How to get rid of blackheads

Use products specifically formulated for blackhead-prone skin, such as Vichy Normaderm Anti-Blemish Hydrating Care. When you use products that work in harmony with your skin, such as http://www.lifeandlooks.com/vichy-normaderm-hydrating-care.html, it will help to promote clear skin.

It’s best to avoid very harsh products, such as face washes, as these can disrupt the natural pH of the skin and strip away its defences. Instead, choose a face wash containing salicylic acid, which is a gentle cleanser.

Once you have loosened the blackheads with a salicylic acid product, you can use a pore strip to remove them. This works by attaching to the blackheads and pulling them out of the pore.

Stubborn blackheads cannot be removed by pore strips, so you may have to adopt a different approach. Treat the area every other day with a wipe containing malic, glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids. These ingredients clear away old skin cells and break down the wax plug.

If you have been using this routine for a few weeks and new blackheads are still forming, it’s time to use a mechanised brush. However, they should only be used once a week and with great care as they can damage the delicate structures of the skin.

Applying a clay mask once a week is a useful way of removing impurities and improving the texture of the skin. This will help prevent blackheads.

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