Blackheads

What are blackheads?

Also known as comedones or open comedones (whiteheads are known as closed comedones), blackheads are plugs of sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous gland), sloughed off cells and bacteria which darken as they oxidise.

The nose and chin are the most commonly affected areas.

What do blackheads look like?

As you can see in the image to the left, the pores on the nose are clogged with blackheads. They resemble small, black dots in the skin. They are not harmful, but do look unsightly.

Blackhead removal:

There are several ways to remove blackheads from the skin which may include;

• Blackhead strips: These are slightly sticky strips placed over the affected area, when they are removed, they pull the blackheads out of the pore.

• Exfoliation, this helps to remove debris from the pores. Look out for products containing glycolic acid.

• Extraction with either a comedone extractor or manually with the finger tips. Either way, the face should be steamed for a few minutes first to allow the plugs to soften up. The area should then be thoroughly cleansed. If manually extracting using the fingertips, ensure the hands are washed beforehand, and then cover the fingertips with tissues.