I have blackheads on my nose which are driving me crazy. The rest of my skin is clear and actually feels dry most of the time. I am quite pale so the blackheads really stand out and are hard to cover with makeup. I don’t get pimples often except sometimes around the corners of my nose. It doesn’t matter how often I squeeze them or scrub at them or even if I have extractions in a salon, the blackheads keep coming back.
Lauren | SA | age 19
- Lauren is, I imagine at the tale end of her teenage hormone years. She’s watched these blackheads appear and thought the way to remove them is to clean, clean and clean using any way possible. The fact that the rest of her face is on the dry side and she only gets the odd pimple says that she’s probably over stimulating her nose, stripping and harming it, enlarging the pores and increasing the amount of sebum and oil with a rebound effect. She’s lucky there are few breakouts.
What you see in a blackhead is not dirt. It is the melanin which is present in the sebum which turns dark when exposed to the air on the surface of the skin. Cleaning will not help this.
Blackheads appear when a pore is blocked. During the teen years, and unfortunately for some, during adult years, certain hormones over stimulate the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum which then gets caught up in a cycle of pores enlarging to accommodate the sebum, increased oil, dirt and dead skin cells. The pore becomes blocked, and if it is deep, you’ll feel and see a raised lump which is a “closed comedone” and white, and if it is exposed to the air you’ll see a black spot – a blackhead.
What Lauren needs to do is concentrate on her whole face, cleansing and nourishing and gently exfoliating. She needs to take care that the products she chooses, including her makeup, won’t clog her pores and she needs to protect her skin daily with a light SPF. Then she can give her nose some specialist care.
My suggestion Is the Aspect Dr ABC Kit with the CosMedix Reflect Spray-on SPF moisturiser.
Use the CosMedix Activated Charcoal Detox Mask every 2nd day just on her nose. She could heat up her face, or just the area with a hot (not too hot) face washer or over a steam bath to open the pores, apply the mask, leaving it 10-20 min and rinsing off. Then apply her serums and moisturiser.
No Scrubbing and No squeezing – give it all time!
An excellent choice for her makeup is the Osmosis Colour CC Cream and concealer.
** if Lauren had expressed concern that her skin was oily, and after lunch became shiny I would add into her regime the CosMedix Purity Solution (cleanser) and Detox Scrub ( 2 x weekly) plus using a Mattifying Primer under her makeup.
Not to forget that lifestyle choices Lauren makes will make a significant difference to her skin. This includes diet, water intake, stimulants such as coffee and alcohol, amount of sleep and how she manages stress.
For extra reading
https://www.theskincareclinic.com.au/acne-oily-skin-congested-skin/
https://www.theskincareclinic.com.au/water-life-saver-regenerator/
https://www.theskincareclinic.com.au/gut-health-and-your-skin/
https://www.theskincareclinic.com.au/mindfulness/
My skin is always oily. It feels really rough and bumpy and always looks really dirty. It is red and sore at times and there seem to be blackheads everywhere which erupt into big pimples when I least want them.
I have tried all sorts of products, but nothing seems to help.
Maddie | VIC | age 18
My skin is always oily. It feels really rough and bumpy and always looks really dirty. It is red and sore at times and there seem to be blackheads everywhere which erupt into big pimples when I least want them. Oh dear Maddie. Your skin is what we call congested and inflamed.
- Rough, because the surface cells are not lying flat as they should. This is due to all the other activity happening on your skin including, believe it or not dehydration.
- Feels oily, because the skin is producing more oil and sebum from an over stimulation from your hormones.
- Bumpy – because all your pores are full of sebum, dead cells and the days grime. Eventually these are erupting as pimples.
- Sore, because your skin is inflamed. Just like when you cut yourself your skin goes though a healing process. You have a lot happening in your skin and it’s trying hard, but probably is missing some of the tools it needs to be more effective.
To treat this you need the big guns – not just skin care products, but changes in your lifestyle.
All your answers are in this article.
www.theskincareclinic.com.au/clear-congested-pores/
I will hint that one of the most important skin care products you can use from day one is the Osmosis MD Rescue Serum.
Enjoy your New Clear skin – not over night – but soon!
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