Almost everyone knows and fears them: Blackheads – the small black nodules on the skin. They are harmless, but can significantly disrupt the appearance. What causes them, when they become a problem and whether you should have blackheads removed, you can find out here.
Did you know: The medical term for blackheads is comedones. Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Because blackheads are impurities on the surface of the skin. They appear mainly on the nose, forehead and chin – together they form the so-called “T-zone”. The good thing is that comedomes are not part of inflammatory acne.
You can best recognize blackheads by the small black dots or easily noticeable bumps on the skin. That is why they are also called open blackheads or blackheads. These do not look nice at all, but are easy to get out of the skin surface.
In addition, there are also white blackheads. They differ from the black ones in that they tend to be white to gray in color (whiteheads). This comes from the sebaceous filaments filled with sebum, which perform an important function and are needed for a healthy skin appearance. They are located under the skin and are barely noticeable. That is why we call them closed blackheads. The bad thing, however, is that this form is the precursor to inflammatory acne.
Everyone has blackheads. If there are only a few, there is basically nothing wrong with that. Because to remove all of them is impossible. However, many sufferers are visually bothered by the black dots on their face, which they find unattractive. However, blackheads become problematic in the medical sense when they become inflamed. Because then they can develop into larger pimples. This also makes it easy for bacteria to penetrate the skin, causing worse infections. That is why it is recommended to have blackheads removed before it happens.
The first sign of skin impurities is an oily complexion. You can tell because the skin is noticeably oily shiny. Although blackheads do not only occur in people with oily skin, they are the most commonly affected. Other signs of skin blemishes are other unwanted appearances like pimples. These also appear on the face when blackheads are already abundant.
At the beginning of all blackheads are skin impurities due to increased sebum production. This clogs the sebaceous gland and blackheads form. The risk of developing it is higher in oily skin, as this skin type is more prone to blemishes. In principle, however, no one is protected from the unwelcome black dots. They can occur in any other skin type and at any age. The causes for this are numerous and usually several factors play a role.
One of them are: Hormonal changes. In this case, the risk of developing blackheads is significantly higher than usual. Puberty or pregnancy are prime examples of this. But stress or heavy sweating also promote the development. With a healthy lifestyle you do good for yourself and your body. This is equally true for the skin.
Alcohol, caffeine and smoking promote skin blemishes. Just like lack of hygiene. Conversely, the use of certain cosmetics can also have an unfavorable effect. Oil-based products can promote the development of blackheads. Especially people who apply makeup every day clog their facial pores, creating a skin climate where blackheads have an easy time. Regular, thorough skin cleansing is then all the more important. And no, this doesn’t just mean washing your face with water every day.
There are phases when the skin is more prone to impurities, blackheads and pimples. These are certainly also dependent on your personal lifestyle habits. But the good thing is that when they occur, they often disappear after a while. However, if this is not the case and you have blackheads over a long period of time, or if the blemishes cover a large area, there is a high risk that they will become inflamed or large pimples will develop. In this case, you should have blackheads removed. The same goes if you feel uncomfortable because of skin blemishes. Because you don’t have to: treating blackheads is relatively simple and effective – provided it’s done correctly and with the optimal tools. You can read more about this in the FAQ section here.
Last updated: 20.10.2023
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