Blackheads: A Science Backed Approach

Blackheads are small, dark skin blemishes that generally appear on the face, chest, back, and neck. They form when hair follicles – or pores – get clogged with dead skin cells and sebum, an oily substance secreted to help protect the skin. The dead skin cells that get stuck in the open pores react with the oxygen in the air and turn black, creating those tiny dark spots that beg to be extracted.

Though blackheads may look like trapped dirt, they’re not related to the cleanliness of your skin at all. Age and hormones are the biggest contributors to the formation of blackheads. Like other types of acne, blackheads are most common during puberty when the body experiences a spike in hormones, such as androgen. Androgen is a hormone that, among other things, causes the skin to produce more sebum. And more sebum means a greater likelihood of clogged pores. Teens aren’t the only ones who experience excess hormones. Pregnancy, birth control pills, and monthly periods also lead to hormonal changes, which can cause blackheads to form. Other common causes are stress, an overproduction of skin cells, and any irritant that can affect the natural state and size of your pores, such as:

• Heavy sweating
• Cosmetics
• Tight or restrictive clothing
• Shaving
• Steroid-based drugs

Blackheads may also be a side effect of certain medications, such as corticosteroids, lithium, or androgens.

Luckily, there are just as many blackhead treatments as there are blackhead causes. Some of the most effective remedies for blackheads include:

Gentle exfoliation

Gently cleansing and exfoliating your skin will help clear away blackheads and remove excess sebum and dead skin cells. Make sure to use a gentle cleanser with natural, exfoliating ingredients to avoid over-drying. You could also exfoliate your skin with specific exfoliating products that fall into two different groups: chemical and physical.

• Chemical exfoliants are able to remove dead skin cells through chemical reactions that dissolve the bonds and slough off the skin. Chemical exfoliants usually include acids, like alpha hydroxy acids. Depending on the type and strength of the acid, chemical exfoliation may be done safely every day for weak acids, once a week for moderate acids, or once a month for chemical peels applied by medical professionals with strong acids.

• Physical exfoliants, on the other hand, are able to remove dead skin cells through scrubbing with rough particles. This involves the typical “scrubbing” products that you think of when you think about exfoliation. That being said, physical exfoliants can irritate sensitive skin as a result of rough particles. This type of exfoliation should be done about two to three times a week for the best results. Some examples of natural exfoliants include sugar, baking soda, coffee grounds, oats, and ground nuts like almonds.

Chemical exfoliants are able to remove dead skin cells through chemical reactions that dissolve the bonds and slough off the skin. Chemical exfoliants usually include acids, like alpha hydroxy acids. Depending on the type and strength of the acid, chemical exfoliation may be done safely every day for weak acids, once a week for moderate acids, or once a month for chemical peels applied by medical professionals with strong acids.

Physical exfoliants, on the other hand, are able to remove dead skin cells through scrubbing with rough particles. This involves the typical “scrubbing” products that you think of when you think about exfoliation. That being said, physical exfoliants can irritate sensitive skin as a result of rough particles. This type of exfoliation should be done about two to three times a week for the best results. Some examples of natural exfoliants include sugar, baking soda, coffee grounds, oats, and ground nuts like almonds.

Moisturize

It may seem counterintuitive that moisturizing your skin helps treat blackheads, but it is actually very important. This is because when your skin gets too dry, it stimulates extra oil production to compensate for this dryness. As you now know, excess oil can clog the pores and lead to blackheads.

Treat underlying skin conditions

Some skin conditions, such as rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema, may cause an overproduction of skin cells. The overproduction of skin cells can lead to clogged pores that contribute to the appearance of blackheads and other blemishes. Doctor-prescribed treatment could halt these issues, which may lead to an improvement in blackhead development as well. Depending on your exact skin condition, some possible treatments include things like oral antibiotics, systemic corticosteroids, antihistamines, or topical calcineurin inhibitors.

Destress

Stress can trigger sebum production. So, the more you destress, the more you reduce your risk of blackheads. Take time for relaxation through exercise, journaling, yoga, meditation, or aromatherapy.

Prescriptions

There are many different prescription products available to help treat non-inflammatory acne like blackheads. For example, adapalene, tretinoin, and other topical treatments that contain Vitamin A promote a more rapid skin cell turnover to help keep dead skin cells from building up in pores. While these prescriptions are highly effective for some, treatments could have side effects. It is a decision that can only be made by you and your doctor.

Things NOT to do you about blackheads include:

Self-extraction

Do not attempt to extract blackheads yourself. Though it’s tempting to try and squeeze them out yourself, you risk injuring yourself, and worse -- leaving a scar. Only a trusted facialist or dermatologist should be performing any extractions on your skin.

Blackhead removers

Blackhead removal products like masks, pore strips, and vacuums are also very harsh on the skin. Use them with caution and make sure to follow all instructions during use.

Scrubbing

The more you scrub, the more you remove your skin’s natural sebum, which in turn causes your sebaceous glands to overproduce replacement sebum and leaves you with more blackheads.

Rather than experimenting with several products that may or may not effectively treat your blackheads, try taking a new approach with PROVEN Skincare. Take our blackhead quiz . We will formulate skincare products based on your own unique set of circumstances, including your age, geographic location, skin type, and other of your primary skin-related concerns. Our skincare quiz is free, fast, and fun!

But how does it work? We have done all the heavy lifting for you through our revolutionary Skin Genome Project™. We were sick of endlessly searching for the right skincare products, only to come up with products that didn’t quite hit the mark. So, we decided to take action and gather all the data necessary to formulate the best personalized skincare products by assessing more than 20 million consumer reviews, 20,000 ingredients, and 4,000 scientific papers related to all things skincare.

Through this process, we learned that 92% of customers have more than three skincare needs. We also learned that 64% of customers do not have a proper skincare routine and 57% of customers are experiencing some level of acne.

From there, three Stanford scientists were able to come up with more than 2,000 different product combinations that are able to effectively fight all your skin concerns from blackheads, to sensitivity, to hyperpigmentation and everything in between.

As a part of your unique formulation, you will receive three tailored products: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a night cream.

Your PROVEN cleanser will effectively cleanse your skin of oil, dirt, and sweat that clog your pores and lead to blackheads. Your PROVEN cleanser also contains exfoliating ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids and toning ingredients like witch hazel to further fight the formation of blackheads on your face.

Your PROVEN moisturizer will be expertly formulated with non-comedogenic ingredients that are nourishing but won’t clog your pores and contribute to blackheads.

Your PROVEN night cream with beneficial ingredients that will help you fight your skin concerns while you sleep with ingredients like salicylic acid for blemishes, vitamin C for hyperpigmentation, or niacinamide to minimize enlarged pores.

With our custom, clinically-backed formulas, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain -- so spend a few minutes taking our three-minute skin quiz to gain incredible insights about your skin and receive the skincare answers you’ve been searching for.