Skin Deep Beauty by Christine Lindsay

What’s the Difference Between a Blackhead & Whitehead?

Originally published 3/4/2020

Today, my son asked me what the difference was between a blackhead and whitehead. I told him, and thanked him for an awesome blog idea‼️ 💡 Now, I’d like to explain it to you! 🙂Blackheads and whiteheads are a mild form of acne. They are both comedones. Comedones are a hair follicle with a plug, made up of oil and dead skin cells that traps bacteria beneath the surface. The skin supplies an oily substance called sebum to hair follicles(pores) which lubricates the hair and skin and then drains to the surface. Sometimes, the sebum becomes blocked, which clogs the pores and then bacteria grows. If the buildup of bacteria does not have an opening to the surface of the skin it is called a closed comedone, or whitehead. A blackhead, or open comedone, is formed when sebum reaches the surface, allowing air the enter. Sebum contains melanin, which turns dark, or oxidizes when it’s exposed to air. CausesThe cause of acne is still not fully understand. Some factors believed to increase your chances of developing acne and blackheads include:

  • Genetics 🧬 
  • The buildup of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria 🦠 
  • producing too much  oil
  • Hormones during menstruation & from birth control pills 💊 
  • irritation of the hair follicles 
  • Certain medications 
  • Dairy & Sugar in your diet 

Treatment While treating white and blackheads it’s important to remember that prevention is key 🔑 ‼️ Here’s 8 ways to prevent & treat:

  1. Exfoliate your skin 
  2. Use a prescribed masque 1-2 times a week. Check with your esthetician or me for a recommendation. Kaolin clay and charcoal are key ingredients. 
  3. Use an antibacterial booster to control bacteria. 
  4. Moisturize daily. Imbalanced moisture levels can cause skin to produce excess oil to compensate.
  5. Wear non-comedogenic products. These are products specifically formulated to not cause blocked pores. 
  6. Drink lots of water! 💦 Dehydration makes blackheads harder to extract.
  7. Make an appointment with an esthetician for a professional extraction.
  8. Light therapy 

Alexa Lindsay Aesthetics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.comhttps://www.termsfeed.com/disclaimer/bfb473a9b7edc0b8e1bd00e1a6666f0e

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