Blackhead Treatment: Getting to the Bottom of Acne
Normal manifestations of common acne are blackheads, which like most acne, arise in the face and in people of all ages. Also known as open comedones, blackheads are wide-open pores not yet inflamed that have been clogged by sebum and keratin. Due to these openings and their subsequent access to air, the material clogged within the follicle oxidizes, forming tiny blackish dots on the surface of the skin. Whiteheads, or closed comedones, occur in follicles with small breaches. Air does not reach the follicle and the plugged material inside remains white.
Blackheads are much smaller than other types of pimples as there is no swelling involved. As they are clogs in the follicles, blackheads will occur wherever there are pores. The arms and face are the areas of the skin you are most likely to encounter blackheads. Blackheads on occasion can progress into a harsh form of acne and acne scars.
How Do Blackheads and Other Phases of Acne Form?
Blackheads materialize through an analogous course to other acne lesions. The sebaceous gland secretes sebum, an oil, that travels through the sebaceous canal to the skin's surface. However, sometimes sebum hardens or mixes with debris and/or skin cells and clogs the pore.
A blackhead becomes noticeable to us as a blackhead when the clogging material oxidizes with air, turning it black. Should the duct become damaged or become inflamed, it is considered a pimple or, if more severe, an acne cyst.
The root cause of acne is damage to the cells along the sebum ducts. During periods of teen acne (puberty) or adult acne (most likely caused by stress), androgen levels are high, fueling sebum production and release. The power at which sebum travels through the sebum ducts literally causes injury to the cells lining them.
The type of sebum that the body produces also affects the healthy state of the follicle. When the body lacks essential fatty acids, the sebaceous glands produce a harder, more abrasive oil that also injures cell lining.
Furthermore, when the sebum becomes trapped below a keratin plug, it begins to accumulate, forcing the follicle to distend and become more irritated.
The body responds as it does to all other bodily injuries and sends lymphocytes, macrophages and neutrophils to the site of the damage for healing. In the process of eating and destroying foreign bodies, these cells cause the inflammation manifested as acne. Severe cystic acne can therefore appear without infection. When cystic acne becomes infected, abscesses and scars result.
Treating from the Inside: Acne and Blackhead Removal
Prevention of blackheads requires addressing the cause versus only the symptoms: first, one must get sebum and its production under control and then reduce keratin and bacteria found in the skin.
Although exfoliation to clear away excess pore-clogging skin is suitable for blackhead treatment, it may irritate the skin and other lesions, causing inflammation and more acne problems. To protect against such irritation, one must find a solution appropriate for treatment of all acne lesions: blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules.
Most blackhead-specific as well as some acne treatments only focus on the un-clogging of pores. By using harsh chemicals, such as benzoyl peroxide, these systems dry out the skin and further harm it by producing damaging free radicals.
Resolve acne worries by treating from the inside with a facial acne treatment that gets overactive sebaceous glands under control, naturally. Prescription sebum inhibitors have extreme side effects, which include almost unbearably dry skin, chapped lips, nose bleeds, eye irritation and birth defects.
Licorice root inhibits androgens, the hormones affecting sebum activity, and provides a natural, gentle way to control sebum output. By getting sebum under control, you stop the primary cause of acne lesions - injury to the cells lining the sebum canals.
By consuming one's daily intake of essential fatty acids, one can maintain healthy sebum that is less likely to irritate or plug skin follicles.
Employing the tricks of acne home remedies will get to the root of your acne problem. Stop treating only your symptoms.
Solve your acne worries with an all-around treatment that focuses on the true causes of acne. BIOSKINFORTE solves both teen acne associated with puberty hormone changes and stress-related adult acne. BIOSKINFORTE prevents blackheads using natural acne home remedies that control sebum production and preserve its more liquid state. Furthermore, with Helix Aspersa Muller glycoconjugates, BIOSKINFORTE heals sebaceous duct injuries and manages the body's inflammatory response, the root causes for acne lesions.
Published August 13th, 2009
Filed in Health