Human skin is covered with multiple sebaceous glands that secrete fat (sebum).
Fat performs important functions that are necessary for maximum skin protection.
An adult produces 15-20 grams of sebum per day.
An increase in its quantity is possible with physical exertion, cold and hot weather conditions, changes in hormonal levels, infectious diseases, and the use of certain medications.
What functions does sebum perform?
1) Prevents moisture evaporation and overdrying.
2) Maintains a constant acid-base balance.
3) Suppresses the proliferation of opportunistic and pathogenic microflora due to its composition.
4) Removes toxins, drugs and metabolic products from the body.
Over time, pores become clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, forming whiteheads and blackheads. A blackhead is a type of open comedones.
It gets its black color from oxidation, not pollution. They are most common in people with oily skin and large pores. There is often confusion between blackheads and sebaceous filaments. The latter are elongated, smaller, and grayish in color.
Most often they accumulate in the area of the nose, forehead, chin and are less noticeable. Such threads do not need to be removed, as they are a physiological norm and serve for protection.
A blackhead is a comedone. Comedones without treatment quickly turn into acne. This is when an infection joins in, a painful purulent acne or pimple is formed. It is also possible that nearby tissues become infected and the process spreads across the entire face.
What are the methods for removing blackheads?
The most common method is mechanical cleaning. It can be manual or vacuum. This method is the roughest and most traumatic, especially for delicate and thin skin.
Deep damage leads to the formation of ulcers, and later scars. If this method is carried out at home, it is necessary to steam the skin before the process, and squeeze it out with an instrument, such as a Vidal loop.
Before each use, the instrument must be disinfected with an antiseptic or 70% alcohol.
Cleansing strips are short-term methods. They usually do not completely cleanse the skin, as they only capture the upper part of the dots and sebaceous threads. Another disadvantage is the expansion of the pore diameter. Strips are only suitable for rare use before an important event.
Long-term measures include only complex care. It includes good cleansing, preferably two-stage.
It is necessary to exfoliate periodically with acids, salicylic acid is especially effective in this case. Do not forget to use retinoids in your care, as they reduce the size of the sebaceous glands and their secretion.
And the last thing is to use creams with sun protection. They should not contain natural oils, as they contribute to the formation of comedones.
This approach allows you to get rid of not only enlarged pores, spots, threads, but also prevent the development of acne.
