Knowing how to prevent blackheads is the key to an attractive, fresh complexion. Most people suffer from blackheads at some stage in their lives, some worse than others.
Some people may spot an occasional blackhead on their nose or chin, while others are more unfortunate and have a large covering of these tiny black lumps. Blackheads can be irritating at best; in extreme cases they have a debilitating effect on the person’s self confidence and body image.
Luckily, there is no big secret when it comes to preventing blackheads. You may be surprised to know that all it takes is an efficient skin care routine. It is never too late to improve the look and condition of your skin. Not only will blackheads be less likely to make an appearance; other skin issues such as acne and pimples may be avoided. The skin on your face should be treated with a three-part system: cleansing, exfoliating and protecting. Get into the habit of following these steps when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed at night and you will quickly notice the difference in your skin.
A mild, medicated face wash is ideal for cleansing your skin. Make sure it is suitable for your specific skin type (i.e., sensitive). There are different factors that can cause blackheads, including hormonal changes, blocked pores and over-production of sebum (oil) on the skin.
You need to be sure though that you are not using products that over-dry the skin as doing this can be worse than using none at all! The reason for this is that by over-drying your skin, you are making the oil producing glands work harder to produce even more sebum because your skin is getting too dry. This just makes matters worse so it is an important point to remember. You should also avoid overdoing your cleansing routine, even if you are using mild products as this could have the same effect.
As part of the blackhead prevention process, oil-based products should be avoided. These can increase the amount of excess surface oil and lead to blackheads. Get into the habit of checking all products you apply to your face, including make up and moisturizer, to make sure it is oil-free.
The next step in how to prevent blackheads is exfoliation, which is important to get rid of dead skin cells and remove all encourage the blockages in the pores to the surface of the skin; use a mild facial scrub and rinse your face thoroughly afterwards. Finally, apply an astringent such as witch hazel to shrink your pores and give blackheads less opportunity to take root.
By Alison Graham
