Whiteheads treatment is a bit more complicated than blackheads treatment. It is conditioned by the structure of these two kinds of comedones. In fact, whiteheads are called closed comedones, while blackheads are called open comedones. What this means is that blackheads are open and not covered up with skin, while whiteheads are closed with a thin layer of skin. This prevents them from turning black. Sebum is white, but it turns black when it comes into contact with the air. This does not happen in the case of whiteheads.
Both whiteheads and blackheads are caused by an excessive sebum production. The skin oil stuffs the pores and creates plugs in them. The comedones are the initial stage of acne. If you add bacteria to them, you get pimples and zits, which are uglier and harder to deal with. This is why removing excessive skin oil and keeping your skin clean is the first step to getting rid of whiteheads.
It all starts with a daily cleaning routine. You should wash your skin often enough to remove dirt and excessive oil, but not too often because this might over dry it. In this case, you would stimulate your oil glands and they would start producing even more sebum. Cleaning your skin twice a day is a good rule to go by. You can use various acne washes to do that. These washes or scrubs help you to clean the pores deeper and help your skin to peel off more dead cells and dirt.
You can also use various over the counter or prescription treatments to get rid of whiteheads. Such ingredients as salicylic acid help to exfoliate your skin faster and prevent pore clogging. There are many natural treatments to get rid of whiteheads. You can use some essential oils, such as tea tree oil, for whiteheads treatment. You can also use lemon juice, honey, oats, egg white, baking soda and many other products that you can find right in your home.
Home remedies used for comedone treatment are more affordable and can be as efficient as ready made ones. However, some OTC and prescription products are much more potent than homemade remedies. One of such treatments is benzoyl peroxide. It causes a strong anti bacterial effect. It also drives the oxygen deep into pores and cleanses them from inside. Benzoyl peroxide can produce great skin exfoliation effect as well.
However, most OTC or prescription products have side effects to deal with. Most of them dry up your skin in order to remove excessive sebum. However, this can make your skin too dry and lead to skin irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. This may worsen your acne problem instead of improving the situation. Thus, you should make sure to find and use good water based skin moisturizer after the application of every comedone treatment.
Selecting the right method of whiteheads treatment is essential for keeping your skin soft, clean and healthy. Note that if you have severe acne or overly sensitive skin, you might want to consult your doctor before you resort to any of the above mentioned treatments.
