Help me to be cured of blackheads.

[teese]

I have been facing problems of blackheads and they seem to be getting worse. It really makes you look ugly and I am worried that if they will ever go away. If anyone of you has been in a similar situation or may be if you people know the cure for this, please let me know.

[feisty redhead]

Do you exfoliate regularly? For me that's the key. I can't use any of the store-bought "blackhead clearing scrubs" - they are all too drying for me. I just make my own scrubs. Depending on how sensitive your skin is and how "soft" of a scrub you want to use, you can use either baking soda (most gentle) brown sugar or white sugar (least gentle of the three, but still gentle) mixed with a little water. That's the simplest way to make them but there are lots of variations. (Adding some honey, a splash of lemon juice, using evoo or another skin-friendly oil - like jojoba, sweet almond, avacodo, vitamin e etc. - instead of or in addition to water...) I gently massage the scrub on my face with a circular motion and rinse it off. They all also make really nice body scrubs, too.

If you don't want to mess with scrubs you can still exfoliate by using a wash cloth or a little face scrubber to wash your face with (I have one that looks like a mini shower loofah on a cute plastic handle) or you could try using the Dove Skin Vitalizer or Neutrogena Wave to clean your face with. They both have little scrubby pads you attach to the unit that vibrates to exfoliate while you wash your face.

[Teacherbear]

I've read a bit about the SkinVac cloths (http://www.skinvac.com/). Have you tried those?

[Copperhead]

Oil cleansing works best for me. I can actually feel the blackheads falling out when I use it. EVOO works well, but I prefer Grapeseed oil for my particular skin, which is very oily. I have some oil I have mixed with several carrier oils and some EO's that I usually use. I agree about exfolliating too. I can't go without it. I have to use very gentle scrubs because my skin gets irritated very easily. It is strange to have thick, oily skin that is also very sensitve, but I have it. :purplex: I even make a moisturizer from oils and EO's that is very effective in keeping my skin clear. Do some research on the internet and see what you can come up with. The solution could be very simple.

[jordina]

The best way to remove blackheads is to remove the cause of them -- excessive sebum (oil) and dead skin cells. Sebum is an oily secretion of the body and when it becomes trapped in the skin it results in acne and blackheads. The best way to deal with a problem is to know the basic cause for it and then deal with it. So, I advice you to go for a product that contains Vitamin B5 that helps to get rid of too much sebum. The sebum which is produced in excess will be reduced and this will be a benefit for your skin. A product called Clearly Gone (http://www.clearlygone.com) has a good amount of Vitamin B5 and you can use this to cure your problems. I do recommend the use of this product that has Vitamin B5 as this vitamin is a harmless vitamin and you will be benefited if you try to reach the core of the problem rather than keeping it to the surface.

[Raederle]

Both the OCM cleaning method and the Skinvac cloths TB referenced above have worked for me. I think patience is called for. These little buggers have been my life companions for decades, and they will not leave all at once. But, gradually, they have substantially lessened.

[Copperhead]

Some years ago, a friend of mine sent me a microfiber exfoliating cloth from England. I had no idea what to do with it, but I now use it with my oil cleansing routine. It isn't a Skinvac, but works in much the same way. It is a remarkable tool for a clearer complextion. I tried a brown sugar scrub last night and was very impressed with how smooth it made my skin without any irritation. I agree that patience and continued effort are the way to go. It won't be overnight, but I do believe it will work.

I just read an account of a woman who was removing her eye makeup with oil and noticed the area the oil was touching was much clearer and softer than the rest of her face. She now uses it on the congested areas of her face to clear them up. :grinhappy:

[BrianaFineHair]

I do the OCM and occasionally follow up with a toner of T.N. Dickenson's Witch Hazel (this is not drying for me at all). Blackheads have decreased by half if not more.

I think the goal is to find a cleansing method that does not strip your skin completely of its natural oils. If you do, your skin will go into over drive and produce much more to replace the stripped oil.

[Raederle]

The difficulty for me is that my skin is very sensitive, and the facial steaming which really helps remove blackheads is not an option for me. But OCM, baking soda, the skinvac and persistence have helped.

[Pursuer]

I love making my own concoctions. And even when I find something that works for me, sometimes I get bored with it and want to make something new.
I have pretty clear skin - except for my nose. I have had blackheads on my nose for about 12 years now. Nothing I bought from the store worked.
I have two different methods I swap between now. I tried the Oil Cleansing Method and it worked great. BUt I got bored and tried something different. I read a book by Mary Gladstar called "Herbs for Natural Beauty" and she gave a facial cleansing program in there - it works great for me as well!
The one thing that I want to echo a previous poster on is that these methods take patience. You will see results, but not "instant" ones like with a biore strip. They will take a bit more time, however, they offer long-lasting effects, unlike biore strips!
I am not sure if I would be allowed to post the program from a book on here directly, if I am than I would be more than willing to if you wanted, but if not, I can PM it to you. :) I love it because I was able to mix a bunch of grains together, make a cream, etc. And best of all, it works! No more blackheads. (Yippee!)