Blackheads, causes and natural aids

Blackheads, also known as comedones, are the enemy of clear, even skin. And it's not always easy to get rid of them, as they have an annoying tendency to reappear again and again... What causes blackheads? How can we eliminate them in the long term without damaging the skin and risking superinfection? Follow our guide to eradicating these skin imperfections over the long term, for flawless skin day after day.

In the collective mind, blackheads are generally associated with puberty and theacne that often accompanies this period of life. Contrary to popular belief, blackheads are not the sole preserve of teenagers and oily skin. They can indeed occur in the event of hormonal changes, but also if you live in a humid or polluted environment, or if you use overly occlusive skincare and make-up products that clog the skin's pores. We also regularly point the finger at poor lifestyle habits (stress, lack of sleep, fatty and sugary diets...) as a factor favoring the onset of skin problems. If you want to avoid imperfections on your face, this is something to keep an eye on!

There are two types of blackheads, caused by different factors.

• Open comedones are linked to acne and sebaceous gland activity. In the case of hyper-seborrhea - i.e., when the sebaceous gland produces too much sebum - pores tend to become blocked. The blackhead is then composed of a mixture of sebum and dead cells that clog the skin. Its black color comes from the oxidation of sebum in contact with air. Note that the same phenomenon is at the origin of whiteheads, with one difference: the whitehead is under the skin, it's not in contact with the air and therefore doesn't change color. This imperfection is sometimes referred to as a "closed comedo" or micro-cyst.
  
  
• Blackheads can also appear when the skin is clogged by external elements. The dilated pores then capture and retain all ambient particles (pollution micro-particles, dust, various impurities...), leading to the formation of blackheads.

Whether male or female, blackheads affect everyone, and even tend to be more pronounced in men - the culprits being the sebaceous glands, which are more numerous and more active on male skin. Their skin therefore tends to be oilier, and pores clog more easily.

Blackheads generally appear on the T-zone (nose, forehead, chin), but they can also invade the cheeks, just like acne pimples. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable when you wear a mask all the time: the humid environment encourages oily skin and the proliferation of bacteria: the "maskne" appears!

It's entirely possible to get rid of blackheads in the long term: it just means rethinking your beauty routine and adopting new gestures and products on a daily basis.

The first (bad) habit to break is to try to pierce them by hand, however tempting this may be. On the one hand, it's rather ineffective: you may have to work hard on the skin to get rid of the blackhead, and on the other, you may make the situation worse, by causing superinfection. The sentence will not be long in coming: within a few hours, the blackhead will turn into an acne pimple, which wasn't really the intention... It's better to tackle blackheads in the right way, with gentle gestures that won't risk creating new skin blemishes, such as red pimples. 

To help your pores open up and facilitate the elimination of blackheads, there's a 100% natural tip: the steam bath, also known as a facial sauna or fumigation! Place your face over a bowl of boiling water, with a towel over your head, and wait about ten minutes. You can add a few drops ofessential oils if you wish: lemon essential oil, for example, ideal for regulating excess sebum, or tea tree essential oil, with its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The heat opens the skin's pores, facilitating the removal of blackheads and making your skin more receptive to the cosmetics you apply afterwards. Steam bathing can be performed once a week, or more occasionally if you have sensitive skin or are prone to redness.

After the steam bath, you can turn to a very useful accessory for removing blackheads: the blackhead remover. This little tool takes the form of a metal rod with a small round tip: simply place the blackhead in the center of the tip and apply pressure to extract it. Always remember to disinfect your blackhead remover before use, to avoid the risk of infection.

While this may help you to remove blackheads gently, it won't give you clear skin in the long term. By manually extracting blackheads, you may feel like you're getting healthier skin, but you're not acting on the causes that lead toblackheads in the first place. In other words, they'll come back very quickly, and this blemish problem won't be solved. To get rid of them, you need to tackle the problems ofexcess sebum and dilated pores with very specific skincare products. And you'll see that it's perfectly possible to get rid of blackheads at home, without going to the dermatologist!