Whiteheads: How to Remove & Prevent Whiteheads on Face

Whiteheads: How to Remove & Prevent Whiteheads on Face

Whiteheads are a form of acne caused by clogged hair follicles, and they appear as the body's natural way of dealing with bacteria. Dead skin, bacteria and dirt all block hair follicles, making them inflamed and swollen. If the oil isn't removed, bacteria develop and remain under the skin. The bacteria then begin to grow, which gives you the whitehead appearance. These inflamed and swollen clogged hair follicles are a closed version of blackheads.

Both men and women of all ages ranging from adolescents to adults consider whiteheads a major skin problem. They appear as small, raised, pearly white spots under the skin due to clogged and closed hair follicles, and they're similar to blackheads. Whiteheads are often mistaken for pimples because they both have white tips; however whiteheads and pimples are not the same thing.

Your skin can develop whiteheads within only a few days after buildup begins. Your face isn't the only place that whiteheads show up, and you may find that your shoulders and upper arms have a few whiteheads living there as well. You'll also be able to spot whiteheads around your eyes, cheeks, forehead, chest and neck, or anywhere you typically get acne, blackheads or pimples.

There are a lot of reasons why whiteheads occur, including both poor diet and hormones. They can also appear on your face, neck, shoulders, chest and arms if you're not washing properly. Women may notice that their skin develops more whiteheads during their menstrual cycle due to hormones.

If your skin is developing whiteheads because you're not properly washing the dirt, oil, and bacteria off the skin, all that's needed is a change in your showering routine. For those of you who aren't ingesting enough nutrients with meals, you may consider adding dietary supplements to your diet.

Removing whiteheads improperly causes skin to break, scab and scar. An easy way to avoid breaking skin is to maintain a healthy skin care routine; begin with cleansing your skin in both the morning and night.

Use unscented soap and/or cleansers designed for your specific skin type: the cleansers should contain salicylic acid or alpha hydroxyl acid because these ingredients are perfect for unclogging pores.Use a clean cloth to cleanse, and another dry cloth to pat your face: keep in mind that cleansing more than twice daily can cause more acne and inflammation.After cleansing, you can use a gentle exfoliate: for some, this step only needs to be executed two or three times a week; but for many, it's a part of their daily routine. Use a pea-sized amount, and massage in circular motions on your face and neck without adding pressure. Exfoliates with micro-beads or small particles promote new skin cell growth, which keeps your pores unclogged.Use a moisturizer to replenish any moisture you've washed off during cleansing or exfoliating: once you've applied the moisturizer, avoid touching your face so as to not add any new and unwanted bacteria to your face.

Also remember that the things you put into your body directly affect the way your skin looks on the outside. If you're eating a large amount of unhealthy fats and sugars, you'll have more whiteheads than someone who eats a minimal amount of unhealthy foods. If you notice whiteheads appearing more frequently, skip the unhealthy foods, and trade them in for raw fruits and vegetables. Also, add more water to your diet because this will help lower the amount of whiteheads your skin develops.

The best advice for treating whiteheads is to not squeeze or touch them at all; this keeps your skin from scarring. Instead, use an acne/blemish cream nightly to dab onto the whitehead. This will dry the whitehead out, and reduce the inflammation sight.

If you've tried over-the-counter creams, cleansers and exfoliates, consult a cosmetologist. Men and women who have been educated on ways to remove acne from problem skin can use special tools and methods to remove whiteheads without complications.

One method a cosmetologist will use that may be difficult for you to perform yourself is steaming. The steaming method opens the pores, thus making the surrounding skin soft. This allows the impurities like hardened oil, dirt, and bacteria to be removed more easily. Steaming also helps to remove other forms of acne like blackheads and pimples.

Once a cosmetologist has steamed your face, they will then proceed by using a sterilized needle to put pressure on the tip of the whitehead; the cosmetologist then gently pricks the whitehead on the tip to ease out the pus. The steaming and needle methods of removing whiteheads are widely considered the most effective ways to not damage your skin.

Moving along, one very important thing that people can do to prevent acne is to remove any makeup before going to bed. Not only should you remove all makeup from your face each night, but you should also cleanse and apply a moisturizer. If you skip this routine for just one night, you can wake up with whitehead breakouts. This will also cause your makeup to rub off onto your pillow, which will transfer back onto your skin the next night, leading to even more whiteheads.

In some cases, the environment you live in could be having negative effects on your skin. For example, if you live in a heavily-polluted area, it's possible for the treatments to be counter-balanced with unhealthy air. In short, your pores may become clogged even further in polluted areas. If you're desperately concerned about whiteheads and the condition of your skin, you should purchase a personal air filter for your home to keep air clean, while also making it easier for your pores to stay clear.

One more thing worth mentioning is that there are plenty of creams and ointments for clearing up acne overnight; however, these are often ineffective at removing the whiteheads. Fortunately, when it comes to removing whiteheads, you have plenty of options that are natural and more effective than bottles filled with chemicals. Natural treatments are safe and gentle on acne-prone skin, and you'd be surprised to find that you have a lot of whitehead-clearing ingredients in your home right now!

Try a facial mask with natural ingredients. Honey is a tried and true anti-bacterial product that can nix germ-clogging pores. Honey not only kills the germs, but it also reduces the size and inflammation of whiteheads and pores. Furthermore, it sucks out the oil, dirt, and hair that may be clogging your pores, thus removing the whitehead.

In order to create a honey mixture capable of battling whiteheads, mix one raw egg white, a tablespoon of milk, and two tablespoons of honey together; then slowly add the yolk to the mixture. Leave this mask on for 15-20 minutes, and then wash it off. Please note that it's normal for this mask to make your skin feel tight due to the egg in the mixture. But the egg is important because it removes excess oil on your face, without completely draining the face of nutrients.

If you're a man and you have trouble shaving due to whiteheads, try using a lemon and baking soda scrub to help clear clogged pores or hair follicles. Combine one teaspoon of baking soda with two teaspoons of lemon juice or filtered water. Apply the mixture to your face with a cotton pad and leave it on for one minute. This remedy can be repeated twice a week for two weeks, and then increased to three or four times a week. You should let your skin get used to the baking soda before using it more frequently so as to not irritate your skin.

This method is very easy because you need only water and a washcloth. Using hot and cold compresses removes acne slowly because it lowers swelling caused by whiteheads. The most efficient way to perform hot and cold compresses is to cleanse your face with facial cleanser, and then rinse with warm water. Use a cloth that has been soaked in hot water to press onto your face for 10 seconds; finish the compress by pressing a cold cloth to your face for another 10 seconds. This closes pores so that dirt, oil, and other bacteria won't clog the pores again and cause more whiteheads.
If none of these methods of removing whiteheads work, consult a dermatologist for further assistance with your problem.

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