Use Anti-acne Masks to Get Rid of Acne Problems

Acne outbursts are most common skin problems among the young. These skin conditions are quite embarrassing that may sometime force you to lock yourself up and not show your face ever again! However, nowadays there is an array of acne treatments that are quite effective in providing you acne-free skin. One of the most effectual methods to treat acne outbreaks is through anti-acne masks that are exceedingly being used by many people. The main cause for acne problems is unhealthy food habits, using oily skin products and skin dehydration.

There are various skin products that are specific to acne-prone skin. These products may include acne moisturizers, acne creams or lotions and acne toning solutions. There are various herbal anti-acne masks that tend to provide organic skin care treatment using natural oils and other ingredients. Anti-acne facial masks are quite effective in providing you the natural glow and brightness to your skin. These masks can be used once or twice a week depending upon the condition of your skin. Too much usage of these facial masks however may cause you loss of your natural skin oils that are extremely important for the lubrication of the skin.

Natural anti-acne facial masks are extremely effective as these tend to use fruit extracts like apple, papaya, banana, and cucumber, orange and other fruits that tend to give your skin a healthy and natural glow. You can even prepare your own homemade anti-acne facial mask using plant or almond oils in combination with ginger and essential fruit extracts that are quite easy and convenient to use. Anti-acne facial masks essentially cure blackheads and whiteheads that are the root causes of acne formation.

Acne is a serious skin problem which must be treated cautiously. Try to use natural products as much as possible as other beauty products may contain preservatives and harmful skin that can snatch the luster of your skin.

Know Your Acne - Forms of Acne and Proper Treatment

There are many different forms of acne ranging from mild to severe, it is important to understand what form of acne you have in order to treat it properly. Acne is initiated when excess oil and dead skin cells combine to plug the pore of a hair follicle; behind the plugged pore, bacteria grow and multiply, triggering inflammation and swelling. Acne can range in severity in conjunction with external factors and hormones. Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne. Mild to moderate Acne Vulgaris consists of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules. While  severe Acne Vulgaris is characterized by mild to moderate Acne Vulgaris along with nodules and cysts.

Acne Vulgaris (mild to moderate) includes blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules.

Blackheads are pores clogged with debris such as oil, dirt and dead skin, the black color is due to the bacteria being exposed to the air.

blackheads on skin

Blackheads are opened lesions and can be cleared by an esthetician or dermatologist. To treat and prevent blackheads cleanse the skin properly and use a facial exfoliate to clear dead skin cells off the surface of the skin. Dead cleansing masks like ash or clay masks may be used to extract surface blackheads form the pore.

When a pore is completely blocked, with trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, it will cause a white appearance on the surface resulting in what is known as whitehead. These types of lesions should not be extracted and usually clear rather quickly. Whites can be avoided by controlling surface oils and using a cleansing product that contains benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These act as antiseptics under the skin, killing bacteria.

Papules are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head. Papules are caused by debris mostly dead skin cells being trapped in the follicle or pore. The most common way to treat and prevent papules is to exfoliate regularly. Do not try to extract papules as they may become infected and worsen. Instead be patient and exfoliate regularly, and much like whites use a cleanser with benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Pustules can be confused with whiteheads; however pustules are inflamed pores that contain bacteria. These lesions can be very sore and the

skin pustules

bacteria are considered a strain of staphylococcus, and thus can spread on your skin rapidly. This is why it is important to only allow a dermatologist to extract pustules. Cleansers and acne treatments with a form of antiseptic is best on these types of lesion. Exfoliation should be mild and gentle and an anti-inflammatory can be taken to decrease pain and redness.

Severe Acne Vulgaris is distinguished by the above lesions along with nodules and cysts.

Nodules and Cystic acne look very similar; both are large and painful and are inflamed clogged pores or multiple areas that contain bacteria. Nodules and Cysts rarely come to the surface and can take months to clear. These types of lesions are usually hormonal and caused by bacteria under the skin. These lesions should be monitored closely by a dermatologist and extracted by a doctor, however scaring is likely, so it is best to consult a dermatologist and let the nodule or cysts run its course.

Removing Blackheads and Reducing Acne

Eliminate blackheads and whiteheads

Blackheads are tiny, dark spots caused by a small plug in the opening of a follicle (pore) on the skin. Blackheads are also called open comedomes. A blackhead is a type of acne vulgaris. It is caused by excess oils that have accumulated in the sebaceous gland ’s duct. Blackheads are typically caused by excessive oil and makeup, which can facilitate the multiplication of the bacterium propionibacterium acnes, the predominant anaerobe of the normal skin flora. The substance found in these bumps mostly consists of keratin and modified sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous gland ), which darkens (resembling dirt) as it oxidizes.

If you suffer from blackheads or whiteheads and need to know which products are best. Look for non-comedogenic products - they are less likely to cause blackheads (called open comedones) or whiteheads (closed comedones). Most brands of make-up are non-comedogenic, which means they won’t clog your pores. If your skin is prone to acne or
especially sensitive, try to find products that are non-comedogenic, oil-free (water-based), hypoallergenic (unlikely to cause an allergic reaction) and fragrance free. It may be helpful to remove make-up before exercise, as the products can travel across the face through sweat and clog your pores. However, since no product is non-comedogenic for everybody, it’s a good idea to first test any new product on a small area of your own skin.

Blackheads are the slightly different sibling of pimples, and like pimples, squeezing them can be damaging. Composed of the same oil, or sebum, that contributes to the production of pimples, blackheads result from a building up of this oil in pores. The difference in appearance than that of a pimple is the result of the blackhead’s exposure to the air.
The oxidation (or darkening)  of the the oil causes the trademark black color of these blemishes.

While blackheads are more easily obscured by makeup, they can seem less offensive to the sufferer, and as a result, less damaging to squeeze. But squeezing is not good for blackheads. It can leave a permanent scar on skin and also leaves your skin open to infection. Comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) are caused by the densely packed skin cells. Comedones, commonly appear on the face and shoulders, but they may also develop on the trunk, arms, legs,
and buttocks. They are most common in teenagers but can occur at any age, even in infants.

Treatment for whiteheads and blackheads depends on the severity of the condition. Treatment may include lotions or gels placed on blemishes or sometimes entire areas of skin, such as the chest or back (topical medications). Oral medications, such as antibiotics, may be prescribed.

Causes of Blackheads

Blackheads are caused when excess skin oil, sebum and congesting toxins are expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid that supplies your skin with nutrients. These congesting toxins combined with skin oil and sebum clogs your pores causing blackheads, whiteheads, and full blown acne. Dirt also plays a big role in developing skin blackheads. The dirt stored on the face or other parts of body help the bacteria to develop.

Symptoms of Blackheads

Blackheads and whiteheads are a combination of oils, sebum and cellular fragments that form firm to hard plugs within hair follicles. Blackheads are open to the skin’s surface and become darkened at the surface by exposure to oxygen (oxidation). They are called open comedones (or comedo, singular). Whiteheads are closed from the skin’s surface by
cellular debris at the follicle opening. Because they are closed from oxygen they do not oxidize or turn brown. They form a light or yellow-white lump and are called milia (or milium, singular). When bacteria is added to these plugs, the condition can lead to acne.

Treatment of of Blackheads

Mild cases of acne can be self-treated with over-the-counter topicals (applied to the skin) creams typically with benzoyl peroxide. Zinc Oxide is also a safe natural alternative to reduce infections. There are also a variety of different medications that your family physician might prescribe that come as creams, ointments, and pills. Some of the stronger medications for acne are not to be used if you are pregnant, so make sure you tell your doctor if this is a possibility. Most acne medications work by reducing the next “crop” of acne, so don’t get discouraged if the treatment does not work right away.

Home Remedy for Blackheads
1. In 3-4 cup boiled water, add 2 tsp of soda bicarbonate. Steam a towel with this. Thereafter, place the towel gently on your face. Do it for about 5-6 times. Make a paste by mixing 1 tsp curd and 1 tsp rice flour.  Apply the paste on the affected area. After some time, wash your face with cold water.

2. Take about 1 tsp of juice extracted from fresh coriander leaves and add ½ tsp of turmeric powder in it. Apply this mixture while going to bed. Wash your face the next morning with cold water.

3. Take a pinch of soft portion of glycerin soap and mix with a pinch of table salt. Apply this mixture on the blackheads. Do it for about a week and see the magical results.

4. Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzyl peroxide, etc. can be counter-productive to softening and dissolving blackheads and whiteheads as they can dehydrate dry, normal and combination skin

5. Make a paste by mixing 1 tsp limejuice and 1 tsp of finely powdered cinnamon. Apply it on the affected area before going to bed. Wash it off in the morning.
When looking over other strategies on how to remove blackheads, you want to make sure that you are not using your fingernails to squeeze. Your fingernails could be loaded with all kinds of bacteria, which could cause infections. If you do decide to squeeze, make sure you are properly cleaning and sterilizing your hands or using a tissue, to reduce the risk of infection.

Exercize caution. Squeezing a blackhead too much or too soon may lead to the rupturing of a blood vessel. Even though this is a rare occurrence, it can still happen. If you find this happening to you, do not continue to squeeze the blackhead because you may make it worse.

Acne Types and Treatment