How to Get Rid of Blackheads in Oily Skin
One common issue for those with oily skin is blackheads. These small blemishes can often look like enlarged pores, a frequent concern for oily skin types. However, blackheads are actually pores clogged with oil (sebum) and various debris like dead skin cells from our environment.
Blackheads are considered open comedones, as opposed to whiteheads which are closed comedones. This means the oil in the pore is exposed to air. When the sebum in a blackhead meets the air, it oxidizes and turns black. If you’ve ever squeezed a blackhead, you might have noticed that the substance inside is dark at the surface and white or cream-colored deeper down. This happens because the sebum deeper in the pore hasn’t been exposed to air and thus hasn’t oxidized.
Blackheads are considered open comedones, as opposed to whiteheads which are closed comedones. This means the oil in the pore is exposed to air. When the sebum in a blackhead meets the air, it oxidizes and turns black. If you’ve ever squeezed a blackhead, you might have noticed that the substance inside is dark at the surface and white or cream-colored deeper down. This happens because the sebum deeper in the pore hasn’t been exposed to air and thus hasn’t oxidized.
Before I continue, I realize I’ve mentioned pores quite a bit, so let me explain what they are. Pores are tiny openings on your skin that appear like small holes. They release oil and sweat and sometimes have hair growing out of them.
Despite their small size, pores play crucial roles. Sweat pores help regulate body temperature, while the pores connected to oil-producing glands allow oil to reach the skin’s surface, keeping it moisturized and healthy. While oil is essential for skin health, overproduction can lead to blackheads and blemishes.
What can be done to get rid of blackheads?
Instead of focusing on picking and squeezing blackheads, which can damage your skin and cause scarring, our skin clinic aims to address the root cause: excess oil production.
We offer a variety of skin and acne treatments (as persistent blackheads are a form of acne) that effectively tackle this issue. You can read about some of our top recommendations here. For those with oily skin and blackheads, we particularly recommend a chemical peel, which is highly effective in reducing oil production.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is derived from willow bark, just like aspirin. Both originate from the discovery of salicin in willow bark, which has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Salicylic acid’s anti-inflammatory effects are great for reducing painful, inflamed whiteheads. Because it is oil-soluble, salicylic acid is particularly beneficial for very oily skin, making it more effective than glycolic acid in this context. This oil-soluble property allows salicylic acid to penetrate deep into clogged pores, breaking down debris and removing excess oil. Goodbye, blackheads!
Additionally, salicylic acid exfoliates dead skin cells, which not only helps reduce whiteheads and blackheads but also brightens the skin and improves its texture.
At our skin clinic, we use salicylic acid chemical peels as a powerful treatment to combat blackheads, acne-related inflammation, oiliness, and whiteheads.
Many people notice significant improvements after just one chemical peel. However, the number of treatments needed depends on your specific concerns and the severity of your blackheads and/or acne. This will be discussed during your skin consultation, and a personalized treatment plan will be created for your acne treatment.
The takeaway: Resist the urge to pick and squeeze blackheads, as this can cause skin damage. Instead, focus on treating the underlying causes. For those with oily skin, salicylic acid chemical peels may be an ideal solution to remove blackheads and whiteheads, control oil, and reduce acne-related inflammation.
If you’d like to learn more about acne treatments and chemical peels, our medical practitioners at Aiconic Health would be happy to provide more information during a skin consultation.