When your skin is clean and radiant, you automatically enter into a happy mood. Don’t you? To keep your skin lustrous and bright, you need to follow a healthy lifestyle. However, you do not always succeed in staying healthy. The pollution and dirt as soon as you walk out of your house, build a halo over your skin. Hence, you end up with a damaged skin that was once a picture perfect face.
Well, do not regret anymore. There are some easy hacks to bring back the luster of your skin. The basic problems that you face with your skin are acne issues, blackheads, whiteheads, pockmarks, and pimple. What are blackheads? Where do they come from? To say in simple words, they are like cockroaches. When you squeeze one, ten more emerge out of nowhere. Isn’t that irritating and icky at the same time? They just keep coming back and haunt your face, every time you try to get rid of one.
On the other hand, what are whiteheads? They aren’t less disgusting either. Whiteheads are a kind of acne that mostly affects your face, chest and even back. Comedone, also known as acne lesion is of two types- open and closed. The open ones are called blackheads and the closed ones are whiteheads. Know more about whiteheads and blackheads to treat them effectively and naturally at home.
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All about blackheads
These are dilated openings of hair follicles that are primarily made up of sebum. In other words, blackheads are basically an oxidized mixture of dead cells and oils that clogs your skin pores. Why do blackheads appear ‘black’? When acne lesions are exposed to air, the oxygen in the air causes oxidation of the cells that turns them black. Blackheads may also result in follicular inflammation. There is bad news for you if you have blackheads running in your family. You may get proneness to blackheads due to genetic predisposition. Simply, it means that you are more likely to get blackheads as a gift if your mother has them.
All about whiteheads
When your skin pores get clogged with sebum, bacteria, and dead cells, you get acne lesions. Closed acne lesions result in whiteheads (also called closed comedo). In comparison to blackheads, whiteheads are smaller, firm, yellowish or white in appearance. Since they are closed lesions, you cannot simply squeeze them to pop out the extract. There is no interaction with air, so whiteheads do not get oxidized and turn black. In this case, you also have no fear of follicular inflammation. However, whiteheads may turn into an inflamed pustule if a bacteria invades a comedo.
Tips to treat whiteheads and blackheads at home
Find out the quick and easy home remedies to cure whiteheads and blackheads:
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Honey, sugar and lemon mixture
Take half a slice of a lemon and pour enough honey to completely cover its surface. Add sprinkles of sugar on it and scrub your face gently. This acts as a natural sponge for your face. Repeat for a few times a week.
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Vaseline and plastic wrap
Use this technique right after taking a shower, since the hot water will easily open your pores. Apply Vaseline on the affected area and then place a plastic wrap over it. Take a hot towel and rest it on the plastic wrap, to make it stick to your skin properly. Now let it cool to normal room temperature. As the blackheads start blocking the pores, squeeze them using a tissue. In this way, you can easily remove dirt from blackheads. Use a cotton swab to moisturize your skin later. Repeat the procedure at least 2 times a month.
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Coconut and other essential oils
Take a jar and add coconut oil (1/4th of a cup) and microwave it for 30 seconds. Combine with ten drops of lavender oil, lemon, and tea tree oils and mix well. Apply the mixture on your face with a cotton pad, and then wash it off. Store the jar with the rest of the mixture in room temperature.
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Oat flour and cinnamon
Take one teaspoon of oat flour and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder in a bowl. Add a small amount of water to it and mix well. Wait for a thick consistency. Apply this mixture gently using your fingertips in a circular fashion on your face. Scrub for a minute and then thoroughly rinse with water. Repeat the trick for a few times in a month.
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Green clay and activated charcoal
Take half teaspoon of activated charcoal and add a teaspoon of green clay to it. Mix them well by adding half a teaspoon of warm water. Apply the mixture as a mask on your face using a brush or soft sponge. Let it dry for a few minutes and then wash off with cold water. Repeat twice a week for better results.
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Olive oil, honey, vanilla extract and sugar
Take a bowl and mix 1/4th cup of brown sugar and the same quantity of white sugar. Add olive oil of the same amount and mix well. Next add one tablespoon of honey, along with half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir properly. Make a smooth paste and apply it as a scrub on the affected parts. Wash off with warm water. Use the remedy for just one time per week. Store the mixture in a jar at room temperature.
Other effective tips on removing whiteheads
Always wash your face with warm water and mild soap, avoiding any kind of harsh scrubbing. Keep yourself away from extreme sun exposure to avoid sunburn and tanning. Do not use strong cosmetic products, and always remember to get them off your face before going to bed. Use oil-free cosmetics as much as possible to prevent clogging of skin pores. Refrain yourself from the habit of popping or squeezing blackheads and whiteheads. Do not burden your mind with too much emotional stress and depression. These are an indirect cause of acne, eventually leading to lesions. Maintain a healthy diet and an overall fit lifestyle.
