I mention many of my favorite acne fighting products in this post with Amazon links to the brands so you can easily find them, read reviews and purchase products at your convenience with great Amazon prices.
Pimples, blind pimples, whiteheads and blackheads are all forms of clogged pores that are associated with acne and oily skin. The clogged pore problems begin with the oil glands in the skin producing an excess amount of oil. A buildup of dead cells clogs the pores trapping the oil. Then, bacteria numbers grow within the pores resulting in pimples.
Acne skin blemishes, including pimples, blind pimples, whiteheads and blackheads, are referred to as comedones. The oil glands keep producing sebum whether the pore is clogged or not and the comedone will keep getting bigger until it is resolved through extraction or internal healing.
Pimples, blind pimples, whiteheads and blackheads are all forms of clogged pores that are associated with acne and oily skin. The clogged pore problems begin with the oil glands in the skin producing an excess amount of oil. A buildup of dead cells clogs the pores trapping the oil. Then, bacteria numbers grow within the pores resulting in pimples.
Acne skin blemishes, including pimples, blind pimples, whiteheads and blackheads, are referred to as comedones. The oil glands keep producing sebum whether the pore is clogged or not and the comedone will keep getting bigger until it is resolved through extraction or internal healing.
A pore is also called a hair follicle. The oil that is produced by the oil glands within the hair follicles is called sebum.
Good skin care is important to help heal the skin, reduce inflammation, kill bacteria and prevent dehydration.
Good skin care is important to help heal the skin, reduce inflammation, kill bacteria and prevent dehydration.
Use products that are listed as non comedogenic which contain ingredients that will not clogged the pores.
Also, look for products that contain ingredients, such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, that kill bacteria and remove dead skin cells.
Take good care of oily acne prone skin with cleansers, toners, spot treatments, moisturizers and masks that are specifically formulated specifically for oily acne prone skin.
Blackheads vs Whiteheads
Blackheads and whiteheads are both a type of clogged pore called a comedone. Blackhead are an open comedone. Whiteheads are a closed comedone. Neither one has inflammation.
Whiteheads
A whitehead is a clogged pore that is covered by a thin layer of dead cells. This makes it a closed comedone, it has no opening.It's a whitish looking bump that doesn't feel hard or pearly.
A whitehead has no inflammation. There is no redness or swelling but it can become infected with bacteria and become a pimple.
Whitehead Treatment
Whiteheads are difficult to remove due to the fact that they have no opening. An opening must be made by lancing the skin in order to extract it out. Any hole made in the skin can result in a scar. Lancing is best left to the dermatologists.
I feel the best way to remove whiteheads is through exfoliation done on a regular basis with salon/spa treatments and good home care. Gentle scrubs, peels and other exfoliating products remove dead skin cell build up helping to open up the whiteheads and slough them way.
Professional Peels
Professional salon and spa peels have a higher acid content than retail peels you can use at home giving quicker results.
Home Peels
A non abrasive soft peel or liquid peel done at home in between facials is an excellent way to continue the exfoliation process. Do a peel once a week.
Try: YonKa Gommage, it's a gentle soft gel peel
Buy for Yonka Gommage 303 on Amazon
Gentle Scrubs
Many scrubs are too abrasive. They actually cause microscopic scratches in the skin. Use a gentle scrub only once or twice a week. My daughters adore Formula 10.0.06 products!
Try Formula 10.0.06 Be Berry Sassy Exfoliating Face Scrub
Alpha Hydroxy & Salicylic Acid Products
Many acne fighting and anti aging products contain these acids derived from fruits, milk, sugar cane and willow bark. They are very gentle and effective at removing dead cells and brightening the skin. These acids can be in face washes, treatment products, masks and creams.
Read more about Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Read more about Salicylic Acid and Allergies
Moisturize
Believe it or not, oily skin needs moisturizer just like any other skin type to help prevent dehydration and keep the surface of the skin soft and pliable. Hydrated skin heals quicker that dehydrated skin. Use a moisturizer formulated for oily, acne prone skin.
Try: Yes to Tomatoes Daily Balancing Moisturizer
Shop for Yes to Tomatoes on Amazon
Blackheads
A blackhead is a mix of hardened clogged sebum and dead skin cells in the pore. The black appearance blackheads have isn't dirt, it's oxidized melanin. Melanin is the dark pigment we have in our skin. The body protects itself against the UV radiation from the sun by having the skin produce more melanin creating a tan.The blackhead oxidizes because it is exposed to air making an open comedone meaning there is no skin layer covering it.
A blackhead has no inflammation.
Blackhead Treatment
Extraction
Blackheads can usually be easily extracted out after the skin is properly prepped. The prepping lessen the trauma to the skin during the extraction process. They can be removed using covered fingertips or with a comedone extractor. A comedone extractor is a metal tool with a loop the pressed the blackhead out.
Professional Facials
Salon and spa professional facials include many effective skin softening techniques and products to prepare the skin for extraction. Estheticians have been trained to do blackhead extraction the proper way minimizing discomfort and irritation to the skin.
Alpha Hydroxy & Salicylic Acid Products
Alpha Hydroxy & Salicylic Acid products are also great preventing blackheads. Many acne fighting and anti aging products contain these acids derived from fruits, milk, sugar cane and willow bark. They are very gentle and effective at removing dead cells and brightening the skin. These acids can be in face washes, treatment products, masks and creams.
Try Dermalogica Daily Micro Exfoliant, a gentle rice based product with salicylic acid and enzymes
Shop for Dermalogica on Amazon
Clay Masks
I find clay masks to be very beneficial for a variety of skin problems including blackheads. Clay is soothing, healing and drawing. The drawing property of clay is especially good for helping to loosen blackheads. Use a mask once a week to help reduce blackheads.
Try: Formula 10.0.06 Three Times Sublime 3 in 1 Blackhead wash+scrub+mask, it leaves your skin feeling super clean!
Shop for Formula 10 0 06 on Amazon
Moisturize
Again, it may sound crazy, but oily skin needs moisturizer just like any other skin type to help prevent dehydration and keep the surface of the skin soft and pliable. Use a moisturizer formulated for oily, acne prone skin.
Try: Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Daily Moisturizing Lotion, it's a lightweight, calming moisturizer.
Shop for Burt's Bees Acne Solutions on Amazon
Pimple vs Blind Pimple
Both a pimple and a blind pimple are an infection that originates from a clogged pore. The Pimple infection is close to the surface of the skin and can be potentially be extracted out. A blind pimple infection is deep in the hair follicle, It becomes a hard cyst that has no opening usually taking a long time to heal. It cannot be extracted out.
Pimples
A pimple is an clogged pore that has become infected. Acne bacteria feeds on the excess amount of oil and grows out of control.
A pimple is an clogged pore that has become infected. Acne bacteria feeds on the excess amount of oil and grows out of control.
There is inflammation, redness pain and swelling.
There can also be a pustule, a yellowish white dot, on top of the pimple.
The body is creating inflammation to fight the infection.
Use acne fighting skin care products. Avoid abrasive scrubs. Use a liquid or gel peel instead.
Pimple Treatment
Extraction
Pimples can be extracted but carefully. Improper pimple popping can force the infection deeper into the skin and cause scarring. The skin must be softened and prepared before extraction and you must be careful not to spread bacteria. Pimples can be popped using covered fingertips or with a comedone extractor.
Professional Facials
Get a facial instead of doing your own pimple popping. Salon and spa professional facials include many skin softening techniques and products to prepare the skin for extraction. Estheticians have been trained to do pimple extraction the proper way to prevent the spread of infection and they have all the lotions and potions to promote healing.
Read Do Facials help Acne
Professional Peels
Professional salon and spa peels have a higher acid content than retail peels you can use at home giving quicker results.
Home Peels
A non abrasive peel done at home in between facial is an excellent way to continue the exfoliation process. Do a peel once a week.
Spot Treatment
Use a spot treatment on the pimple that will help kill bacteria and speed up the healing process
Try: Formula 10.0.06 On your Mark, it heals with bilberry, lemon and salicylic acid.
Try: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, it heals with salicylic acid, sulfur and calamine
Shop for Mario Badescu on Amazon
Natural Remedy: You can also apply a layer of Manuka honey to the pimple like a mask. Leave it on 10 or 15 minutes and rinse. Honey, particularly Manuka honey is highly anti microbial, nutritional and healing.
Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid
Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are very effective blemish fighting ingredients used in acne products. Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria and salicylic acid removes dead cell build up. Many people can be sensitive to benzoyl peroxide and experience excessive redness, tightness and itching. It has a bleaching action that can discolor your clothes and sheets. It's a great acne treatment if you aren't sensitive to it.
Try: Pro Active Products
Moisturize
Even skin broken out with pimples needs moisturizer just like any other skin type to help prevent dehydration, flaking and keep the surface of the skin soft and pliable. Use a moisturizer formulated for oily, acne prone skin.
Try: Pro Active Oil Free Moisturizer, it helps reduce shine and calms the skin.
Shop for Proactive on Amazon
Blind Pimples
Blind pimples are infected clogged pores deep in the skin. They frequently occur due to hormone fluctuations and imbalances. They have no opening and become hard, painful, inflamed cysts. They hurt so much you just want to squeeze them out to get rid of them but, they should never be squeezed. Squeezing a blind pimple can rupture the hair follicle spilling the infection into the surrounding tissue spreading the infection under the skin resulting is a much larger lump, even longer healing time and possible scarring.
The blind pimple can resolve itself by working it's way to the surface of the skin or the immune system can break it down so that it can be absorbed internally.
Blind Pimple Treatment
IceApply ice to a blind pimple that is just starting to reduce the inflammation.
Hot Compresses and Anti microbials
Apply a thin layer of a topical antibiotic then apply a hot compress to encourage the infection to come to the surface so it can drain or drain internally. Hot compresses also help to relieve pain.
Natural Remedy: You can also apply a layer of Manuka honey to the blind pimple followed by the hot compress. Honey, particularly Manuka honey is highly anti microbial, nutritional and healing.
Shop for Manuka Honey on Amazon
Clay Masks
I find clay masks very beneficial for a variety of skin problems including blind pimples. Clay is soothing, healing and drawing. Apply the mask to the blind pimple twice a day. YonKa Masque 103 is extra healing because it contains clay along with healing botanicals and essential oils.
Shop for YonKa Masque 103 on Amazon
Moisturize
Skin with blind pimples also needs moisturizer to help prevent dehydration and keep the surface of the skin soft and pliable. Use a moisturizer formulated for oily, acne prone skin.
Try: The Organic Pharmacy Face Cream Manuka, an amazing light weight healing, calming cream with Manuka, cedarwood and lavender.
Shop The Organic Pharmacy on Amazon
When all else fails!
A dermatologist can inject a blind pimple with cortisone to help it heal faster.
See me for an acne treatment facial
So there it is. The comedone differences and some tips to treat them at the salon or spa and at home. There is no need for you to walk around feeling uncomfortable and self conscious about your skin. I have worked with many clients with acne issues who experienced significantly less breakouts with a regimen of facials and good home care.
There are great skin care products and natural remedies you can try. If one brand doesn't work for you, try another. Different brands use different combinations of acne fighting ingredients. One combination could be more effective for your skin than another. Also, many times but no always, it's best to stick products from one brand. A brand designs it's products to all work together to correct and balance your skin.
Please go to a dermatologist is your acne condition gets too out of hand. There are many medical treatments available to help clear your skin that will work in conjunction with the more natural facial and skin care product approach.
Have a happy skin day!
xo
Licensed Cosmetologist, Makeup Artist
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