Whiteheads- a pesky type of acne that looks like tiny white pebbles across your face, and especially over your nose.
They’re similar to blackheads in how they’re also formed by oil and dead skin cells plugging your pores. The only difference is that, unlike blackheads, whiteheads have closed ends which make them difficult to extract and create small bumps from a bulging of hair follicle walls.
Causes of whiteheads
Too many dead skin cells and an over-production of oil can attract production of whiteheads. But they can also be the effect of any one of these issue.
- Anxiety
- Extreme stress
- Menopause
- Puberty
- Family history of acne
- Using oil-based acne products
- Overly dry skin
Suffering from anxiety can increase your chances of developing whiteheads.
Luckily though, having whiteheads does not have to mean an end to having clear skin. There are useful home remedies you can try and good over-the-counter medication specific for treating whiteheads. The only thing you need is a little patience and persistence till results start showing on your skin.
Home remedies for whiteheads
- Use steam to help open pores before trying to extract large whiteheads. Boil hot water first in a bowl, drape a large bath towel over your head to create a tent and then lean over the bowl. Stay like this for 5-10 minutes then, with a comedone remover, press gently on the whitehead to remove it and then dab the area with rubbing alcohol to remove bacteria from the now open pore.
- Exfoliate at least twice a week with an oatmeal scrub. Simply combine equal parts oatmeal and plain yogurt and apply a thin layer over the affected area. Leave it on for up to 15 minutes and then rinse it with warm water.
- Using manuka honey, a type of honey native to New Zealand can reduce acne problems with its antibacterial properties. Use it by applying a small amount of manuka honey to the affected area and stay still so the honey doesn’t drip down the rest of your face. Then after 15-30 minutes, rinse the area with warm water. You can repeat this process up to a few times per week.
- Other natural products like vitamin A, which has good antioxidant properties, tea tree oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, aloe vera, which is good when used with other acne products, and witch hazel, which has pore opening qualities, can help in treating whiteheads more efficiently.
Aloe vera is always a useful home remedy when dealing with acne.
Over-the-counter products for whiteheads
- Benzoyl peroxide can be used for spot treatment of whiteheads or as a face treatment. Using products that have at least 2% of benzoyl peroxide can reduce inflammation in the surrounding area. Apply it to the affected area once per day, and up to two times as your skin gets used to it.
- Use products with salicylic acid to decrease oil production in pores and dry up the surface of your skin to get rid of dead skin cells. It is beneficial as a preventive measure against whiteheads. Apply acne products with salicylic acid 1 to 3 times daily for it to have its effect.
- Retinoid creams contain stronger versions of vitamin A and should be used on the entire face, not as a spot treatment. It unclogs pores and should be used first only 2 to 3 nights a week until you develop a bigger tolerance for it, then use it nightly.
Whiteheads have solutions. Yes, they’re annoying and pesky, and you need to be careful when treating them. But they can be removed and prevented following safe and smart acne treatment solutions and products like the ones above. This way you’ll be able to have beautiful and unblemished skin.