Popping Blackheads

The Science of Popping Blackheads They are unseemly and they are unsightly. They commonly appear on the face, scalp, and back but they have been known to show up on the arms and legs. They are called blackheads and no one likes them. This is why popping them can be considered something of a pastime for acne sufferers. They just want to get rid of those clogged pores right away. Getting rid of the blackheads becomes the only viable solution to their woes.

Well, popping does get rid of them and if you are careful, you might not even experience scarring. Perhaps it is time to look a little closer at the issue.

What are blackheads? First, we need to understand what exactly blackheads are. In the simplest terms, they are dead skin cells. When skin cells die and are combined with oil and dirt, the pores of the skin become clogged. If the pore is closed, a whitehead appears. However, the dirt and clog pushes through to the surface, the air has a dramatic effect on the clog. It turns it black. Hence, the blackhead is created.

Use a little heat first. Most people will immediately start popping their blackheads as soon as they see them. This might not be the best course of action to take. Rather, you may wish to soften the lesion with a warm compress such as a sponge. This will open the pores and allow the blockages to be cleared out a lot easier. If you have time exfoliate your skin as this will not only cleanse will help dislodge the blackheads a little.

Extract with care. It might also be wiser to use a blackhead extractor as opposed to your fingers. Your nails can cut and scratch and might have additional foreign bacteria on them. A sanitized blackhead extractor might be the best device to use provided it has been sterilized. To do this leave the extractor dipped in alcohol for at least 30 minutes.

Keep everything clean. Once you have popped the blackhead you should wipe the area of the skin clean with a sterilized cleaning pad. This helps kill any bad bacteria that may be present. Usually, traditional over the counter acne pads can handle such a task quite nicely. Using these pads in conjunction with popping blackheads is advisable.

Bleeding. If your skin bleeds after popping your blackheads, cover the area with a band-aid. This will help reduce further problems.

A few things to keep in mind here are that popping blackheads can lead to scars, infections, and sometimes the spread of acne. Needless to say, none of these outcomes are desired. So, address blackheads with caution or else you may find yourself in a problematic situation as far as skin health is concerned. The secret is to keep everything clean. Remember, the motivating psychological reason behind popping blackheads is to improve appearance. You do not want to pop the blackheads in such a way that it makes the skin look worse.

Popping blackheads may not be the best option in the world to explore when you want clear skin. Yet, many people do it. If you decide this is the best route to travel to clear your skin, tackle it in the proper manner to avoid any additional skin issues.