5 Ways To Get Rid Of Whiteheads For Good
Whiteheads occur when your pores become clogged with dead skin cells, oil, or bacteria. They’re firm, typically small, and white or yellowish. They cannot be removed by squeezing, so keep them fingers away from your face. Instead, follow these useful tips and tricks to get rid of whiteheads for good.
1. Cleansing Is Key
A gentle yet deep and thorough cleanse will leave the skin free of makeup residue, oils, grime and any impurities, which could lead the skin to break out and form whiteheads. Double cleansing is the way to reduce the first stages of whiteheads. Whiteheads can occur due to the overproduction of sebum, an oily substance that protects the skin. Whiteheads can also occur due to puberty, menstruation, or pregnancy, or because a person has finished a course of oral contraceptives. No matter the cause, it is important to fully cleanse the skin both in the morning and evening to reduce both whiteheads and blackheads.
2. Avoid Touching Your Face
Touching your face does not cause whiteheads, however, touching the skin on your face can most definitely worsen the condition of your skin and make the whiteheads larger in size and lead to inflammation. It can make the skin more prone to whiteheads (and acne, in general) and trigger the skin’s gentle barrier. Touching the face spreads bacteria from the fingers to the face, so it’s best to keep your hands to yourself. Additionally, try to ramp up your personal hygiene (e.g. wash your hair regularly, wash your hands thoroughly, apply anti-bacterial gel, etc.) to reduce the risk of bad bacteria transferring onto your face, and ultimately leading to more whiteheads.
3. Avoid excessive sun exposure
As Summer approaches us day by day, you may not be able to resist lounging out all day. But, your time in the sun has to be reduced. Whilst the sun has many positive effects on our bodies and minds, too much time outside is not good AT ALL! Firstly, there is the risk of skin cancer. Secondly, too much time spent outside in the sun can lead to inflammation of the skin, premature aging, and oil build-up. The excessive production of sebum can lead to whiteheads and this can occur incredibly quickly. Therefore, limit your exposure to the sun to protect yourself and prevent whiteheads.
4. Use only oil-free, noncomedogenic skincare products
If you have whiteheads, or are prone to clogged pores and acne, using noncomedogenic skin care products (and cosmetics) might help reduce the number of breakouts you get. Noncomedogenic basically means not likely to cause pore blockages. It is worth mentioning that noncomedogenic skin care products cannot get rid of whiteheads and acne all together however, they can reduce the risk of getting them and not clog the pores on your face. If whiteheads are a real issue for you, it may be worth visiting your dermatologist or trying an over-the-counter or prescribed acne treatment.
5. Limit physical exfoliating
Physical exfoliators are fairly problematic. One of the biggest disadvantages of physical exfoliation is that it can end up causing skin irritation if proper care and caution are not taken. Additionally, scrubbing the skin too hard can end up removing more skin than is necessary, leading to injury or skin irritation. Also, if you have very sensitive skin, you can easily suffer skin irritation, which can inevitably lead to whiteheads. Tread gently with physical exfoliators – if not used correctly, they can cause more harm than good.
