Acne Relief

Posts Tagged ‘blackheads’

I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent looking in the mirror squeezing blackheads out of my nose, forehead and chin. I’ll never forget the first time I noticed those horrid blackheads! Not that it was so difficult to see them; my nose looked like the checkered black and white tiled floor in the Beverly Hillbillies. They were everywhere and I was in a panic. With my curious first squeeze these little cork screw white cream tarts with a black top hat released from their cradle. Oh my gosh, what a disgusting sight! I didn’t help matters any with my initial horror and shock!

Over time I learned that blackheads were simply the product of my skin pores not draining properly the sebum oil that’s naturally produced. Before you know it a blockage can occur. The bacteria start to do its thing and viola, the pore gets completely clogged and your new best friend on the tip of your nose is a whitehead or a blackhead.

I don’t care how beautiful your eyes are, it’s not going to distract anyone from noticing anything but the pimple that’s taken up residence on your face.

Now the question becomes how do you get rid of that blackhead? You want it gone, plain and simple.

Blackhead removal: Comedome (Blackhead) Extractors – These little handy devices are a much safer method for blackhead removal than squeezing with your fingers. There are any numbers of cosmetic companies that manufacture these blackhead removers and they can be quite inexpensive, around $5.00 or so. You simply apply a little circular pressure with the extractor over the affected area and that little bit of force will push the comedome to the surface. It’s best to do this after a warm shower or maybe apply warm water compresses to help soften the skin and the affected area. After the offending blackhead has squirted to freedom, use an antiseptic to disinfect the area as well as your new found best friend the black head extractor. A little alcohol and hot water should do the trick.

Now that the blackheads have been removed and are gone, we need to take a proactive approach so they don’t return. A little preventative action to keep the blackheads away goes a long way!

If you are using oil based make-up get rid of it. These products are going to make it a lot easier to clog your pores. They are non-comedogenic (wow listen to me getting all technical and all) what that boils down to is, it will clog your skin, and that’s what you’re trying to avoid! So use water based make-up. It’s that simple.

When washing your face, put down the harsh chemical washes and abrasive pads. They’re only irritating your skin and forcing your skin to produce more problems as it attempts to combat the harsh treatment. Gentle cleanser and warm water washing using your hands should be fine to get rid of and keep those blackheads away. A little Benzoyl Peroxide should be O. K. in helping keep your breakouts at bay. As the anti-bacterial properties should do their job. Blackheads like all types of acne require different methods for their prevention and removal. These all depend on the individual. The trick is to find what works for you and what gets rid of your blackheads.

“Hum, olive oil acne?” The look of confusion was priceless, as he mustered up the courage to continue. “I’m sorry Ms. Tuesday. But, I just don’t see how adding more oil to my face is going to help me get rid of my blackheads? You just said oil was the cause of my acne.”

Yep, that was the response from my adorable anonymous high school teen acne author who “volunteered” for the previous post. Bless his heart. He’s the spitting image of Zac Efron only better looking. Bangs over his forehead, flawless complexion and an ever present skull cap under a hoodie that I guess makes a seventeen year old boy “fit in” nowadays. Anyway when he came by after school and dropped off my teen acne request. We made some small talk (I was dying to see what he had written. But it was sealed in an envelope so I left well enough alone figuring he would have been embarrassed by me to read it in front of him) and while I thanked him as we walked to the door, he drew back his hoodie, removed his skull cap and whispered “how do you get rid of a blackhead” as he brushed back his hair.

What stood before me was a child with a porcelain complexion from the temples down and a forehead that resembled a pair of dice rolled box cars on a Las Vegas craps felt, there were so many blackheads. Fortunately, the cause of his forehead acne was a classic example of self induced hair acne aggravated by a skin hugging skull cap. I explained to my young friend that he was walking around with a pimple Petri dish for a forehead. The bacteria, grease and oil from his hair was fermenting under the dark, unventilated cover of his form fitting cap.

But not to worry because there was a quick acne fix for his self induced environmental condition. First, he needed to always make sure his hair was squeaky clean. If it wasn’t, then get it off the forehead until it was. Next, he needs to stop sleeping in the skull cap. Like any other part of the body. The skin needs good old oxygen, air, it needs to breath. Trapping the toxins and holding them against the skin by way of a skull cap and hoodie was a zit train wreck in the making. The cause of his blackhead problem was really as simple as that. I didn’t need to spend 4 years at the University of Acne, Pimples and Blackheads to see the solution to his problem. And if he simply pays attention to these two factors he would virtually do away with the growth of any new blackheads. Now, all we need to do is to get rid of the blackheads that are there now.

Enter the olive oil acne face wash. Once my Zac Efron look-a-like heard those words in the same sentence he responded in the manner in which I opened this post, “hum, olive oil acne”. I have to admit, I was not totally surprised. I fully understand the stigma that is attached to using olive oil to get rid of acne. We have been conditioned to think that some things are just downright nutty. It seems perfectly logical to think that if one of the cause of acne is the over production of oil by your sebaceous glands, then how in the world is adding more oil to your face (and olive oil at that) going to help? Of course your natural response to an olive oil acne face wash is going to be “don’t be ridiculous! That’s almost as stoopid (sic) as using chocolate to get rid of acne“.

Yet open your eyes and look around. There are thousands of commercial skin care products that are made from and promoted because they contain the oil of olives. Everything from soaps to creams to facial regiments and they charge an outrageous price to boot. Why olive oil helps particularly with the removal of black heads is beyond me. I heard the theories that like most things in the natural world “like things attract”. When viewed in that light it makes perfect sense. This would also explain why the first time I ever used olive oil; my blackheads were literally drawn to the surface of my skin right before my eyes.

There are many ways to apply olive oil. But the one that has always worked best for me and the one I relayed to my young acne patient was simply this. Pour about a quarter sized portion of olive oil in the palm of one hand. Dip two fingers from the other and apply to the face in a circular motion. Don’t be afraid to use as much oil as you feel is necessary. It’s great at removing dirt, grime and even make up. If your face was fairly clean to start with you can leave it on for a half hour or so and enjoy the benefit of an olive oil acne face mask. Or simply rinse with plenty of warm water and pat dry with a clean towel. If your skin still feels oily repeat the rinse. That’s all there is to it. No need to spend big money on some fancy high priced commercial products. Chances are you have some olive oil in your kitchen right now. If you feel wrong using such an inexpensive acne product, splurge and buy (EVOO) Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It really won’t make a difference when it comes to your acne. But your salads and other dishes will taste better.

That’s pretty much my olive oil acne face wash. And that’s pretty much how I explained it to my teenage acne student.

That night my phone rang and low and behold before I could say hello, it was “Ms. T, Ms. T, that’s the best acne advice anyone has ever given me. When I was applying the olive oil to my forehead it felt gritty as the blackheads started pop n to the surface. Thank you, Thank you and oh yeah I am going to do the other things you told me about too”!

God, life sure is great when enthusiasm comes back at you like that.

Guess there is nothing else to say about that but – Tah-dah another acne problem solved, this time with a whole lot of common sense and the tried and true acne olive oil trick. Next!

You know I don’t think a day goes by when someone doesn’t ask me what is the best way to get rid of acne? You would think after all this time I’d have a pat answer or maybe even have a business card with the answer printed on it. But I don’t and if you have any suggestions or better still know the answer, please pass it along.

But, don’t tell me popping pimples and squeezing blackheads is the best way to get rid of acne. Running the risk of permanent acne scarring doesn’t seem like a reasonable trade off. Your acne really isn’t going to be less noticeable and it’s not going to really heal any faster. Besides if that’s the best response mankind has come up with then… well… I have nothing I can say.

I’m not trying to be crass, I’m just frustrated. I wish someone would come up with a best way to get rid of acne so I could do it tonight and wake up tomorrow with clear skin and never have to worry about my blackheads, pimples and zits again. I don’t care if it’s a pill or a cream, an exercise that involves walking backwards on my hands down a crowded street while I whistle Queen’s We Are the Champions. I just want to know the best way to get rid of acne.

Alas, after all these years I know it just doesn’t work that way. What works for me may not have the slightest effect on you and vice versa. We can put a man on the moon, but we can’t get this crater off the middle of a forehead! Little kids are starting to stare and point while they shout “Cyclopes”! Washing my face with cold water and massaging my skin with an ice cube closes my pores and prevents bacteria from accumulating. It works wonders for me and is a technique that I use often. For others closing your pores and not allowing them to drain is just what you don’t need. It’s just so frustrating!

With that in mind I guess I’ll just post some rid acne home remedies that work for me. I hope some of them will work for you too.

The juice of a cucumber acts as an excellent toner and will cool and calm your skin.

Rub a raw tomato slice over your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes then rinse. Tomato has excellent astringent and cooling properties.

Ice cubes rubbed on your skin will tighten your pores and can reduce inflammation.

Cut raw garlic rubbed over blemishes can be very effective. Due to its active sulfur content it makes an excellent and natural antibiotic.

Steep sage in some hot water, allow to cool and apply

Apple cider vinegar is a good skin toner

The above natural tips have helped me over the years and are among my favorites that have produced positive results. I thought I’d pass them along to you. Especially if your outbreak is mild, try these natural treatments and see if you have any success with them. They can’t hurt you and you will nourish your skin in the process; regardless of how your acne is affected. The only repercussion you might have is a strong smell of garlic salad permeating from your skin. . Who knows maybe one or two of them will become your best way to get rid of acne.

What is acne? Whether its breakouts, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, or zits, doesn’t matter what you call it, acne by any other name is still a nuisance!  And, when faced with a breakout, most of us will do just about anything to get rid of acne.  Over time, people have gone to many extremes and spent billions of dollars trying to get rid of acne.    Why is that?  Why are we so bothered by a few blemishes upon our skin, and what gives acne its stigma?  We all experience it to some degree.  Everyone’s had a pimple, right?   And, what causes acne?  Is it our fault if we’re plagued with pimples?  The simple answer is no.  But the truth is, while we may not directly be the cause of our pimples or breakouts; we can do something about them and a lot of the cures for acne are already in our home just waiting to be used.

My first encounter with breakouts was probably similar to a lot of people’s.  I started having problems with pimples during puberty.  Ah, puberty!  That wonderful time in all our lives when it’s difficult to know what new and exciting growth or protuberance we’ll have the pleasure to wake up to next!  Puberty, when all kinds of physical changes in us are coming at us fast and furious!  Not the least of which is acne, ugh!

There have been hundreds, no thousands of books and papers written on the subject of getting rid of acne.  It’s also a business that generates billions of dollars in revenue.   There are doctors who specialize in the treatment of acne and those who promise miracle cures.  They sell us pills and treatments, scrubs, ointments and procedures enough to keep you perpetually broke!  Go to any drug store and you’ll see shelf after shelf of products promising to get rid of your acne.  The question is, does any of this stuff work, or is there a simpler way to deal with acne?  When you think about the money involved, it seems to me there just isn’t any real incentive for those doctors and miracle workers to find a cure for acne.  But that’s just me and my logic.  Even those who used to peddle non commercial approaches to skin care, are now currently hawking their own lines of cosmetics and skin care on the internet.   There’s just so much more money to be made, if we continue to have skin meltdowns and they can keep us on the consumer treadmill.

The truth is you can find many of the products you’ll need to fight acne right in your own medicine cabinet and refrigerator at home.  Everything from peroxide to fresh fruits, vegetables, salts and oils can be used to get rid of acne and treat your skin.  Did you know that just a bit of hydrogen peroxide applied with a cotton ball will clear most pimples and get rid of blackheads, too?  You can also make some amazing mask using items like strawberries or fresh eggs or avocado!  Nice thing about these mask are if you’re hungry all you gotta do is lick your face!

There is new research every day, and new technologies available for treating acne that are certainly worth checking into.  In fact, if you simply do a little bit of digging, you’ll find a wealth of information about alternative acne treatments for almost every ailment you may have; acne is just one.

If you have some really great and easy to access cure for getting rid of your acne, please share it with us here.  I plan to share all my secrets and any other helpful information I find here, too.    Maybe our efforts won’t put the cosmetic industry out of business, but it might save us some money and give us clearer, healthier looking skin in the process as we get rid of our acne.