What Causes Blackheads On Your Face

If you have suffered for any amount of time from acne on your face, neck, chest, or back you have probably wondered what causes blackheads, and how you can prevent them.  The discomfort and embarrassment of breakouts has been a problem for ages, but the seemingly random manifestations of the small dark inflammations makes you wonder exactly what causes blackheads to appear when and where they do.  A blackhead is formed when dirt, dead skin cells, or bacteria partially or completely clog a pore on the surface of your skin.  Pores serve several functions in the body the primary of which are to contain the hair follicle, and to release the oils produced by the sebum gland below the surface of the skin.

A normal skin type will produce enough oil to keep the skin moist and healthy.  Those with dry skin types do not produce enough oil, and those with oily or combination skin overproduce oil making the face appear greasy and increasing the likelihood of breakouts.

At the same time our bodies are producing oil, our skin cells are dying and being replaced by new healthy cells at a rate of over 30,000 per day, just in our face.  Our bodies are pretty good at getting rid of those dead skin cells, but occasionally there is build up, especially if you have excess oil on the surface of the skin.

When those dead skin cells, mix with the excess oil on your skin, occasionally they can partially or completely block a pore.  Unfortunately, our bodies don’t stop producing oil in those glands and when the oil builds up, it creates the inflammation known as a blackhead or white head.

How To Treat Blackheads

The best way to treat blackheads is by developing a skin program that treats your skin type on a daily basis.  For those with oily skin, your skin program should consist of three steps.

1. Daily facial cleansing with a gentle pore cleanser such as Cetaphil, or Sebamed Clear Face.  Wash 2-3 times per day, but do not exceed 3 face washings per day.
2. Exfoliate your skin once per day or 3 times per week.  Use a gentle exfoliating scrub such as Olay’s Professional Pro-X Exfoliator
3. Consistently moisturize with a non-oil based facial moisturizer to keep skin vibrant and hydrated, while reducing the over-production of oil.

Once you understand what causes blackheads, it becomes much easier to treat and identify the best skin care program for your skin type.