A blackhead nightmare

Neha is a beautiful 16-year-old girl, just entering college. And like most other girls that age, you will always find Neha preening away in front of the mirror. But she hasn’t done that for a week now. Imagine, a week away from the mirror for Neha! Know why? She is too scared to look in the mirror and see all those recently developed blackheads on her face.

She initially thought it must be a spot on the mirror, but soon to her utter despair, she realized it was those annoying blackheads. She has stopped eating oily things totally and is scared to eat chocolates too as her grandma told her they can cause those blackheads. She recently visited a dermatologist and discovered the facts about blackheads.

What is a blackhead?

A blackhead or open comedo is a yellow or blackish bump on the skin with a blackened mass of skin debris covering the opening. They are sometimes yellowish in color. Blackheads can be the first stage of acne. Blackheads, like acne, are common at puberty, when hormonal changes take place everywhere in the body including the skin. The presence of higher levels of hormones in the skin triggers the sebaceous glands to produce excess oil in the pores, which accumulates and gets stuck. This oil on exposure to dust and air becomes black.

Blackheads are more common in people with oily skin. However, they can occur in people with any skin type though. This is rather inconvenient, to say the least.

What causes blackheads?

1. Unclean habits: Not cleaning the skin properly can lead to blackhead formation, especially during puberty. Dead skin cells build up within the pores leading to blackheads when skin is not cleaned properly. Blackheads are not just due to dirt but oxidized oil coming on the surface of the skin.


2. Cosmetics: Overuse of make-up, moisturizers, sunscreens, and foundation also cause blackheads in some cases.


3. Stress: Stress makes you pick at the blackheads, which makes them worse.


4. Food habits: It is a myth that teenagers eating more chocolates and greasy foods have more blackheads. There is no scientific evidence to prove this. Some dairy products may make acne worse.

The treatment options

1. Do not squeeze. It causes infection and inflammation of the skin.


2. Prevent oily hair from touching the face. It can spread infection and spread blackheads. Keep your hair away.


3. Choose and use a good cleanser according to skin type.


4. Rub grated raw potato on the face and leave it for 15 minutes and wash off.


5. A paste of coriander leaves and turmeric make a good remedy to remove blackheads.


6. Crushed almonds paste is very effective to get rid of blackheads, especially on the nose.


7. Paste of oatmeal powder combined with rose water applied to face for 20 minutes helps to remove blackheads.

Neha listened to these tips and followed them religiously, and guess what? She is back at her usual perch- at the bedroom mirror