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Blackheads: treatment and prevention

Blackheads: treatment and prevention

Last updated in 14 Dec 2023
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Cosmetic treatment Blackheads
Cosmetic treatment Blackheads

Beautiful skin is all about good health.

Healthy skin is always moisturized and glowing and gives you greater self-confidence. But what we forget is that healthy skin doesn't always look perfect.

Because we live in a world of perfection, even minor skin problems can affect our emotional balance.

The psychological impact of blackheads is real and common in both teenagers and adults.

We live in an image-conscious society, so it's tempting to chase after magic solutions that transform skin overnight.

But let's not forget that the skin is an extremely complex organ and the best choices are always those that treat the cause and remain stable in the long term without affecting the skin's health.

What are black spots?

Blackheads or 'open comedones' are blocked pores that may look like particles of impurities, but are actually a mixture of sebum and cells that oxidize in contact with air. They commonly appear on the nose and the center of the face, but can also appear on the neck, back, chest, arms or shoulders.

How do blackheads form?

Although black dots are often associated with dirt in the environment (dust, impurities), the dark color of the dots is unrelated.

The sebaceous glands are small glands in the skin that secrete lubricating oily matter, sebum, into hair follicles. Normally sebum plays an essential role in skin health because in combination with sweat it forms the skin's acid mantle, the first line of defense in the natural protective barrier.

When not working optimally, follicles are blocked by dead skin cells and sebum that collect and form a plug.

Just as avocado fruit changes color when cut and left in the open air, so too does sebum with dead skin cells darken and oxidize when it comes into contact with air.

How to get rid of blackheads?

Skin is the mirror of our internal health. Whenever we want to treat a skin problem we must always look at the whole as a whole.

It is important that your care routine is tailored to both skin typeand the condition of your skin.

Whenever we want to treat a skin problem, we always start with a routine aimed at restoring the natural protective barrier. This is necessary if you want stable long-term results that also maintain skin health.

To better understand the process we can compare it to restoring an old house. When the roof of the house is compromised and the foundation will be damaged over time, and all the work done inside may be compromised by a storm. But when the roof is in perfect condition, people can quietly work inside the house to repair what is damaged.

The same goes for the skin. If we repair the skin's protective barrier, a considerable part of the skin's problems will resolve themselves. Only after the barrier's function has been stabilized will further action with active substances be taken to repair the skin condition.

That's why the cleanser should be gentle on the skin and should not contain harsh foaming agents such as sls (sodium lauryl sulfate). 

For a complexion with excess sebum, a cleansing gel with tensides made from sugars is the most gentle, while for sensitive or dry skin, a cleansing milk without tensides is recommended.

Depending on the type of complexion, a toning lotion with moisturizing and soothing properties is recommended, and for oily complexions with impurities, it should have an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial role.

Enzyme peels are the most recommended because they are the only ones that act precisely on blackheads without damaging the skin's natural protective barrier.

Enzimele (commonly called ferments) are actually proteins which break down and destroy other proteins, namely dead skin cells and impurities on the surface of the skin. This the process is extremely safeas it does not act on living tissue (unlike chemical peelingwhich dissolves the upper layers of the skin). For this reason, peeling enzymatic is the ideal treatment for sensitive skin.

The last step is optimal moisturizing with creams that support the restoration of the skin barrier and do not contain mineral oils, silicones, as they have an occlusive effect and could favor pore blockage. All care products should be as physiological as possible and contain no harmful substances such as emulsifiers, fragrances, preservatives, amines or mineral oils.

If the problem doesn't resolve from a simple and correct routine then a professional cleansing treatment will be necessary. Once the complexion has been prepared in advance, the extraction stage should be thorough, followed by serums and masks antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory to support regeneration.

About blackhead treatment at the salon

Salon blackheads treatment
Salon blackheads treatment

The most effective and fastest way to get rid of blackheads is with facials.

Although there are many recommended treatments for this problem, the safest and most effective is the treatment that includes manual comedo extraction. 

Microdermabrasion treatments aren't the most effective for blackheads because they only remove a small amount of oxidized sebum on the surface, without removing the sebum trapped in the skin. 

The skill of a good beautician can never be replaced by a machine to remove blackheads. 

Each comedone is unique, that's why when we do the extraction we apply different pressures from different angles to remove them correctly. The machines can only superficially clean the blackheads. 

Today's technological trends are geared towards making the beautician's job easier without prioritizing skin health.

If we want healthy and beautiful skin we should always choose a treatment that treats the cause and maintains long-term results.

Recommended masks for blackheads

Blackheads face masks
Blackheads face masks

The most effective masks for blackheads are those with enzymes. It is the safest method of exfoliation and the only one that can also be applied to sensitive skin without damaging the skin barrier and over-exfoliating. It acts directly on oxidized sebum, leaves the skin velvety soft, luminous and even has an anti-aging effect.

Masks that increase skin hydration, such as the algae mask with spirulina, help prevent blackheads and are very important to include in your skincare routine.

For dry or sensitive skin, the most effective blackhead creams are Dermaviduals DMS creams that do not contain emulsifiers, mineral oils or silicone, they moisturize and help the skin's natural regeneration.

For oily skin, low-salicylic acid creams can also be effective and prevent blocked pores, such as Dermaviduals' Plutioderm Plus.

A product recommendation from a specialist is essential, as there are many aspects to consider when choosing care products.

Tools to remove blackheads at home

Blackhead removal tools are totally contraindicated, in many cases they can injure the skin and do not help to cleanse effectively.

Bands or 'black mask' 

contain substances that are harmful to the skin, in some cases even glue. As the skin is an organ, I think we should respect it and be careful what we choose to care for it.

Vacuum cleaners 

they work with a vacuum and in the case of blackheads on a dry complexion they are not at all effective. The tendency is to insist and stress the skin too much, even causing edema.

Metal utensils 

for dots are equally useless, in many cases the risk of traumatizing the skin is high and blackheads are not removed correctly. This tool presses from the surface inwards, and because of this there is no way to completely clean the pores. Moreover, the pain is greater than with manual extraction because the pressure is much more intense, otherwise the blackhead is not removed. The correct extraction of the comedo is done with a specific technique and pressure is applied from the inside outwards, so that the pilosebaceous duct is totally cleaned.

Unfortunately these tools are also used in beauty salons.

The most effective treatment to treat and prevent blackheads

Most effective facial treatments are classic pore cleansing, and the products that are used are extremely important. A real specialist will explain to you in detail the principle of the products they work with and their effects before carrying out any type of treatment.

Enzyme masks are indicated in salon treatment because they prepare the skin for extractions and loosen some of the comedo from the sebaceous duct minimizing pressure and facilitating extraction.

After salon treatment, the esthetician should recommend specific products to maintain the results.

A recommended at-home device for pore cleansing in combination with the enzyme mask is the ultrasonic spatula. The client should receive the correct instructions on how to use this tool from a qualified esthetician. This avoids misinformation from other sources or videos showing the pressing of the metal part on the comedo, which is totally incorrect.

Instead of conclusions we present to you: simple care routine for a clear complexion

Cleanse the skin with a gentle cleansing milk that is applied directly to the skin, massaged in with circular movements and removed with moistened pads. (Dermaviduals Cleansing Milk)

For oily skin, an enzyme peel is recommended once a week, and for dry skin, once every 2 weeks (papaya and pineapple enzyme peel).

Apply a toning lotion with a moisturizing and soothing effect (Dermaviduals Cucumber and Panthenol Toner or Lotion P for impure skin).

Eye gel with hyaluronic acid to revive and maintain hydration for tired eyes with dark circles or a moisturizing eye cream (Dermaviduals Eye Gel, Dermaviduals Eye Cream with Kigelia and Q 10).

Dms moisturizing cream that is free of emulsifiers, mineral oil, silicone, fragrances and preservatives (Dermaviduals Dms Classic cream).

Anamaria Păcurar

Corneotherapist

0746.705.429

contact@skindogma.com

Șimleul Silvaniei, Str. Emil Eminescu nr. 3

Skindogma.com 

Love,

Anamaria Păcurar

Skindogma Corneotherapist

Email: office@desprespa.ro
Blackheads: treatment and prevention
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Anamaria Păcurar

Anamaria Păcurar

Skindogma Corneotherapist

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