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Blackheads occur when your pores becomes blocked by oil and dead skin. The black color is not dirt. When the oil and dead skin are exposed to the air they oxidize, which turns them black. There are many ways to get rid of blackheads, from homespun remedies to medical treatments. If you get it wrong you could make it worse so be careful and try not to get too frantic.
It is a well known fact that about 95% of people between the ages of 12 and 25 will have acne. Most will have only mild cases of acne, but many will have severe cases of acne. All, or at least almost all, of this 95% of the population between 12 and 25 will purchase at least one (and usually a lot more than one) over-the-counter acne fighting medication. Those figures make over-the-counter acne fighting treatments big business — VERY big business.
As with almost all things in the economy, demand drives supply. There is an enormous demand, so there is a corresponding enormous supply of acne-fighting over-the-counter products, and they come in many different forms.
There are acne-fighting "systems" that consist of several products. Usually these systems are made up of a facial cleanser, a facial mask, acne-drying medication, and a moisturizer. There are dozens, maybe hundreds or thousands of such "acne-fighting systems" available out in the brick-and-mortar world as well as online.
Facial cleansing products: The advantage that facial cleansing products designed for those with acne have over other facial cleansing products is that they are pH balanced. Usually it is recommended that these products be used at least twice a day. Correct facial cleansing techniques are as important as facial cleansing products.
Acne-fighting lotions and creams: All of the lotions, creams and potions for fighting acne have antibacterials, skin exfoliants, retinoids, or antibiotics in them. Many contain the same ingredients that are contained in prescription acne-fighting medications, just in lower doses.
Acne-fighting moisturizers: The idea of ADDING oil back to your face might seem a bit odd, but it is important. Acne-fighting soaps, lotions, and creams all have a drying effect. It's part of what causes them to work. So you need to add a pH-balanced moisturizer back to your skin after it has been treated.
Hormonal imbalance is the root cause of acne. Hormonal imbalance is also responsible for mood swings of epic proportions. When you add the two together, things can get explosive, to say the least.
There is a debate that rages about whether the emotional upheavals caused by hormonal imbalance negatively affects acne or whether the hormonal imbalance that causes acne is responsible for the emotional upheavals. The debate is a lot like the one that rages about which came first, the chicken or the egg?
I saw a girl wearing a T-shirt the other day that said, "I have PMS and a handgun! Any questions?" Nope! That about sums it up for me!
The situation really is not a laughing matter, however.
There is simply no shortcut between childhood and adulthood and around the bodily changes that must take place for the latter to occur. Science is working on the problem, but there is no magic pill, and I doubt very seriously that there ever will be.
The best that we can do right now is to control the acne and thus provide some emotional relief.
The good news is that acne can be controlled.
The acne-fighting over-the-counter products are very effective for mild cases of acne. If the acne is more severe, there are prescription medications that can work wonders.
There are soaps, creams, ointments, facial masks, and moisturizers available, both over the counter and by prescription, that do help to control acne. These medications and treatments are available both online and off.
There simply is no shortcut between being a teenager and being an adult that isn't marked by acne and by emotional turmoil. But treating acne can help teenagers make the trip unscathed and — even more importantly — unscarred.