Blackheads in Different Areas of the Face

We’ve all had blackheads at some point in our lives, and we’re all guilty as charged of trying to remove blackheads at home. Those tiny black pores simply provoke one to squeeze them, but as always, when dealing with your skin, you have to be extra careful - we always suggest you let the professional or a professional tool do that for you. Today we’re talking about contemporary solutions to get rid of blackheads, which are way more efficient than at-home traditional blackhead removal methods. We will also define what blackheads are, what causes blackheads, and specifics related to blackheads in different areas of the face. This should help you feel more confident dealing with this harmless but quite annoying condition.  

Clogged Pores, Comedones, and Blackheads - Feeling Lost in Terminology?

We will make it quick and easy for you: pores are like tiny holes in our skin that allow oil and sweat to escape from the body. They are most commonly found on the face, chest, and back. To be more precise - pores are the openings of hair follicles connected to oil glands underneath the skin. The oil produced by these glands is called sebum. Sebum helps to keep the skin moisturized and protected. However, when your skin produces too much oil or you don't clean your skin properly - the pores get clogged. A clogged pore is also known as comedone. A clogged pore typically shows up as a small, raised bump on the skin's surface, which can have different appearances depending on the type of blockage. There are two types of clogged pores (or comedones, if you prefer) - closed (whiteheads) and open (blackheads).   

Why Are Blackheads on Skin Black?

A common misconception regarding blackheads is that the dark specks are dirt. That’s not true, and the color of a blackhead is actually a result of a chemical reaction. When excess sebum, dead skin cells, and impurities build up within the pore, it forms a whitehead, appearing as a small, white, or flesh-colored bump. If the pore remains open and the mixture oxidizes with air, it results in a blackhead characterized by a dark, black, or brownish appearance.  

What Causes Blackheads?

Comedones (and blackheads as a type of comedones) occur when a hair follicle/sebaceous gland becomes inflamed. Inflammation or simply the appearance of comedones can occur as a result of: 

1. Increased sebum

Sebum is a sticky, oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands, which sit in the middle layers of the skin near hair follicles. Sebum production is affected by various factors, many of them hormonal in origin - such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and use of hormonal contraceptives. Furthermore, stress is one of the major culprits closely tied to hormone levels.

2. Abnormal function of keratin (hyperkeratinization)

Keratin is a protein that our body produces that helps form hair, nails, and skin’s outer layer, supports our skin, heal wounds, and keeps our hair and nails healthy. Our glands contain keratin as well, and thus, the increase of this protein can lead to breakouts. Here is the opportunity to learn more about the role of hyperkeratinization in acne.

3. Increased hormones

The next cause of blackheads (as a form of mild acne) is increased hormones. It means that the blackheads are occurring in response to hormonal changes, especially a rise in androgens or a male sex hormone (testosterone being the principal androgene). 

4. Bacteria presence

Blackheads can result from the increased presence of the bacteria that causes acne. 

5. Sweating

Intense sweating or being in an overly humid environment without proper cleansing can lead to blackheads. 

6. Cosmetics

Certain cosmetic and skincare products, such as creams, lotions, and cleansers, may also cause blockage inside the pores. Always look for non-comedogenic products and monitor how your skin reacts. If you experience comedones and think a particular product might have caused them, leave it out of your routine for a while, treat it, and see if there is a connection between using a certain product and the appearance of comedones. 

7. Other

Blackheads can also appear due to genetics, picking at your skin, using overly harsh products, sleeping with your makeup, frequently touching your face, and sleeping on a dirty pillowcase.  

Blackheads and T-Zone

The T-zone is a part of our face composed of our forehead, nose, and chin - central parts of our face. T-zone is typically an area where clogged pores appear. That happens because the T-zone has a higher concentration of sebaceous glands than other areas of the face. As glands produce sebum, more glands mean more sebum. The overproduction results in oilier skin and problems connected with it, such as blackheads. While you may have balanced skin, you might also have an oily T-zone. There’s a chance of having blackheads exclusively in that part of the face or even in just one of three parts of the T-zone. That’s why you might need to treat this specific part differently than the rest of your face, where you (luckily) don’t encounter blackheads.

Blackheads on forehead

Prone to excess sebum, the forehead is an ideal soil for various types of breakouts. Quite often, people experience problems with blackheads in this area only. Interestingly, although blackheads appear on the forehead for the same reasons as elsewhere, there is one extra culprit - hair products. Rich and greasy, often containing oil, wax, or butter, hair products might cause your skin to react. Sweat can also contribute to blackheads on the forehead as this part sweats quite intensively. If you don’t cleanse properly, it might build up in the pore and clog it.

Blackheads on nose

Blackheads on the nose are very common. We might even say that this area is the most affected by blackheads, and we mostly find it very annoying. Blackheads appear to be especially prominent on the nose because nose pores are larger than those in other areas. When they are clogged, they become more noticeable. 

Blackheads on chin

Chin blackheads appear for quite the same reasons as they do in other parts of our face: excess oil bacteria, clogged hair follicles, hormones, and friction (so-called acne mechanica). We’re also prone to touching the skin on our chin more often than the other parts of our face, which can also cause breakouts.  

Blackheads on Cheeks

Cheeks is another area prone to develop blackheads. There are a few extra reasons for that. One of them is makeup. Namely, your cheeks are exposed to many different makeup products, such as foundation, blush, highlighter, bronzer, and setting powder. It seems like there’s no end to it. This makes cheeks more vulnerable to the effects of makeup residue than the rest of the face and is a perfect foundation for developing blackheads if you don’t cleanse your skin properly. 

A solution to that is a double cleansing method, which cleans your skin and enables it to breathe at the end of the day. Harsh ingredients, such as benzoyl peroxide, can be harmful. While they might be effective for inflammatory acne, they can be counter-effective for blackheads and cause skin dryness, leading directly to (more) blackheads, especially on the cheek area.  

Blackheads Around Lips

As the lip area is extra sensitive, please, please, PLEASE avoid squeezing and popping a blackhead on the lip as you will, most certainly, damage the delicate area around it. You have many other options for treating it - natural remedies like honey or lemon juice, which have antibacterial properties and are mild enough to treat this delicate area. Also, the appearance of blackheads around the lips is most likely connected to your balm or lipstick as they are often packed with oil or waxes, which clog the pores. 

Provide your lips with proper cleansing and exfoliating. Certain skincare products might not work for your skin, and maybe the balm or lipstick you use is unsuitable for your lips. Another thing, seemingly not necessary, but we’re sharing from a personal experience: you might be using the wrong toothpaste, as people can be very sensitive to sulfates, fluoride, and alcohol in the toothpaste. Your lips can get extremely dry, and blackheads can appear. If this happens, a toothpaste containing those ingredients might be a reason. And your long-term solution can be very simple: switch to another toothpaste.  

Blackheads Around Eyes

The skin around our eyes is incredibly delicate, so please don’t get tempted to extract them yourself. They can also go into an extreme condition called solar comedones or Favre–Racouchot syndrome. It manifests as large blackheads in areas of sun-damaged skin, particularly around the eyes. The causes for those lie in chronic sun exposure, heavy smoking, and/or radiation exposure, which is again very different from the regular blackheads. The way of curing solar comedones is different than the usual blackheads, and they typically include a combination of medication, surgical techniques, and serious lifestyle changes.   

How to Get Rid of Blackheads?

Some researchers suggest that blackheads affect nearly everyone during their lives. They're most common among adolescents, but up to 10% to 20% of adults have blackheads too. What's more tiring about them is that they usually keep coming back.    Here is a list of simple tips on how to prevent them, as well as some dos and don'ts:

1. Keep your hands and fingers away from your face. If you must touch your face, use a clean tissue. Our hands should, in general, stay away from our face and we’re positive that you can occupy them by doing something more useful.
2. Make sure you cleanse properly. Properly means effective yet gentle. Our favorite is the double cleansing method. Also, remember to cleanse after intense sweating, workouts, and fun activities such as kissing.
3. Forget about going to bed with your makeup. It is simply disgusting, and it affects your skin in a very negative way.
4. It is not enough to cleanse your skin; you need to keep your makeup brushes and applicators clean as well.
5. Choose your sunscreen carefully, as that product is one of your skincare arsenal's most common pores-clogging factors.
6. If you are using a cleansing tool, don’t settle for anything but the best - only FOREO LUNA™ device can (clinically proven) remove 99% of dirt, oil, and makeup residue and with a deep in-pore cleanse. 
7. Please make sure you sleep on a clean pillowcase every night and don’t expose it to different fragrances such as detergents, softeners, and pillow mists. Since your face is in direct contact with it, save the fragrances for other parts of the bedding. 
8. Concentrate on using non-comedogenic skincare and cosmetic products.
9. Avoid makeup that could block the pores - there are so many solutions that will stay away from your pores.
10. Be aware that blackheads can worsen by scrubbing. Inform yourself on how to do it, how often, and when in case you are dealing with blackheads.
11. Don’t pick your face. Easier said than done, ha? You can do it; just remember you are only making it worse, and nothing productive can come out of it.
12. Be cautious with skincare ingredients. Although blackheads are a (mild) form of acne, particular ingredients may work for one acne type and not for the other.
13. Avoiding processed and greasy food, alcohol, and smoking (and exposure to cigarette smoke) will help you on so many levels, not just blackhead prevention.

Lack of Efficient at-Home Blackhead Removal Methods

The most popular at-home traditional blackhead treatments are manual removal, blackhead masks, exfoliation scrubs, and blackhead extractors. While they may do something for you, the list of their downsides is quite extensive, and you can do more harm than good. Learn more about why traditional blackhead removal methods can't do much for you. In this article, you can also learn about the risks and downsides of the most popular traditional at-home blackhead treatments.  

One Time Investment From FOREO for Blackheads Removal

If blackheads bother you, we might have just what you need (besides the tips we just shared). KIWI™ is a one-time investment that will provide visible results. It uses perfectly calibrated vacuum suction to remove deep-rooted blackheads effectively. The device will take care of oil and other impurities stuck in the pores while exterminating any remaining breakout-causing bacteria with a blue LED. To put it simply: Blackheads sucks. KIWI™ sucks better.

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