What are black dots?

Blackheads are small “plugs” that develop in the pores of the skin. They occur when overactive sebaceous (oil-producing) glands in the skin become clogged with oil. This sebum then begins to harden in the pore. Since the pores of the skin are open to the air, the top part of the hardened sebum or oil oxidizes and turns black. This black top of the oil plug is pushed closer to the surface of the skin by the hardening of the oil under it. This makes the pimple visible.

It is not clearly understood why the sebaceous glands start to become overactive. This situation is often seen to start at puberty and may stop at the end of puberty, leading to the conclusion that it is hormonally controlled. However, for some people this is not the case, and they may continue to experience blackheads and whiteheads long after puberty and well into adulthood. Whiteheads form in the same way as blackheads except that the pore closes and oxidation does not occur.

Acne results from infection of the sebaceous gland due to obstruction by the pimple. Preventing and removing blackheads helps control acne.

Blackhead removal

The following are some tips to remove blackheads:

– Keep the skin as clean and oil-free as possible. Use natural or chemically prepared cleansers, astringent solutions, or masks to accomplish this. Avoid harsh soaps that can irritate your skin, or any creams that leave an oily finish.

– Use a gentle exfoliator to keep dead skin cells off your skin and away from your pore openings.

– Avoid roughly squeezing or scratching the pimple. Squeezing too hard can damage the skin around the pore and can actually increase the size of the pore and lead to more blackheads in the future.

– A warm compress of water applied to the pimple area followed by very, very gentle pressure can help clear the clogged pore.

– Commercial “blackhead strips” which are basically a tape-like substance that is placed over the nose and then removed to remove any blackheads that are on the surface. Caution should be exercised with these products and it is important to read the instructions fully before deciding to use the strips or not.