Home Remedies For Blackheads

Home remedies for blackheads. These pimples are part of a much larger condition which we know as acne. Blackheads can be completely eliminated with the use of home remedies. There are many things around the house which can help with reducing blackheads.
In general, blackheads are not so evident on the skin as pimples are. They are only visible on a closer inspection in the mirror. In fact, for most of the remedies, one needs a clean mirror with brilliant lighting. This is really important as blackheads are small and not easy to extract.

What is a Blackhead ?
Most people wonder what is the difference between pimples and blackheads. Both are essentially the same thing, but blackheads are not covered by skin. They are open comedones ( clogged skin pore ). Since they are in contact with external air, they are oxidized and this turns their color into dark or black. Pimples are shielded by skin, that is why the skin is raised at that point. Blackheads are hardly painful which is not the case with pimples. Blackheads also inflame much less, so there is much less redness around them.

Causes of Blackheads
The real cause behind a blackhead is the same as behind an acne pimple. This is believed to be caused by an increase in oil production of the body, at the same time as there is an infection of certain bacterial strains, notably P. acnes. The real driving force behind acne is still not clear which is quiet disappointing, given the advances in medical field for other diseases and conditions.

However, whatever be the background cause behind blackheads, we still got to do what we can do. These can be removed from the skin, but it takes lots of patience, efforts and dexterity.

Home remedies for Blackheads

1.Toothpaste
Take a regular non-gel based toothpaste. Apply it on the blackheads in this manner.

IngredientsToothpaste
Directions / How to use Dab some toothpaste on your palm. Now apply a thin layer over skin covered with blackheads. Most commonly it is the nose and the chin. Let it sit there for about 15 minutes. The toothpaste dries up a bit and adheres to the skin. Then start removing the toothpaste. Try to scrape it out with your nails. This helps to take away the blackheads along with the toothpaste. In order to cleanse properly and make sure that all toothpaste has been removed, you need to do the cleaning work in front of a shaving mirror with adequate lighting.
Why it works ?Toothpaste has a glue like action on the skin. It adheres to these open comedones and can drag them out when the toothpaste is being cleansed from the skin. One may not be able to see the blackheads in the toothpaste, but can notice changes on the face.

( Photo credit : jonasb )

2. Clay mask
Applying moist clay to the face is an excellent way to cleanse the skin. It is great for acne, blackheads and overload of toxins on the skin. There are various kinds of clays, like Bentonite clay and Fuller's earth.

IngredientsClay
Spring water
Directions / How to useAdd a few tablespoons water to half cup of powdered clay. Mix it well till it turns into mud. Then apply it on the skin which is suffering from blackheads. Keep the skin covered with this face pack for about 2 hours. This lets the mud completely dry over the skin. Then wash it off with warm water.
Why it works ?Clays have very fine particle size. This creates fine diameter capillaries arising from the skin and into the clay. Due to capillary action and osmosis, toxins and dirt. Now, blackheads may be pulled out from the skin because if this mild suction.

This home remedy may not be super powerful, but it does help in getting rid of some blackheads. It also leaves the skin fresh and free of toxins, which lends a glow to the face [1].

( Photo credit : whatshername )

3. Pure Honey
Massage ample amount of pure honey onto the skin. Let it dry for about 15 minutes. Then scrub it off from your face using warm water. It is going to take some time. Be delicate on your skin if it has acne. Honey is quite viscous and penetrates into the skin pores. It does not block skin pores but it can drag the blackheads out of their hiding.
It also helps in treating wounds and scars. [2]

( Photo credit : theresasthompson )

4. Lemon with Sugar Cubes
This is a somewhat painful remedy as it contains small sugar cubes. Sugar, as you know is a crystal. It has got sharp edges. This may cause some pain while using it, but it is also an advantage. These sharp edges can help to extract blackheads from within the skin pores, leaving the pores open.

IngredientsSugar cubes
Lemon juice
Directions / How to useAdd 2 tablespoon lemon juice to 2 tablespoon sugar cubes. Mix them up a bit. Now rub the sugar cubes on skin suffering from blackheads. Work the sugar cubes into the skin, moving them around in circular motion. After about 5 minutes of facial massage and scrubbing, wash your face. It may have turned slightly reddish because of the fine edges of sugar cubes. But it helps to slough off dead skin cells and blackheads in the process.

( Photo credit : 42dreams )

5. Your Own Nails
I am a big fan of this home remedy as it gives complete control over the blackhead removal process. One can manually remove blackheads with brilliant control and dexterity.
Firstly, steam your face. This allows the skin pores to enlarge in size. After the steam application, head to the mirror. Look at the face clearly and then try to pull out the blackheads with your nails. You may not be able to take out all of them, but this remedy does work for weak comedones. If you have lots of blackheads, start with a small section each day.
To prevent your hard work from going down the drain, apply a moisturiser, sunscreen and an antioxidant on skin to prevent blackheads from coming back.

( Photo credit : nichalia )

6. Salt Crystals
Get some regular salt ( table salt ), or any other kind of salt like sea salt or Himalayan salt. The cubes should be small in size, and not like huge chunks. Now, scrub your face with these crystals. Since they have sharp edges just like sugar cubes, they scrub the skin deep. This may inflame the skin and you may see redness. But, it also helps to scrape out the blackheads. It is a slow process, so one may not be able to see results right away. Give it a week's time to show marked results.

( Photo credit : wlodi )

7. Potato Mask ( to bring the blackheads out )
For some people, it may be very difficult to get rid of blackheads as they are deeply etched into the skin pores. Scrubbing and extracting with nails can be very tedious, but they work. This remedy is used to facilitate that process and highlight the comedones a little.

IngredientsPotato
Directions / How to useBoil the potato and then mash it. Apply it all over the blackheads covered skin in a thick paste. Leave it overnight. Next morning, wash away the potato mask and gently scrub your skin. You may see your blackheads more prominent and thus simpler to work on.

Potato is also a natural bleach. So, it can reduce some of your tan, for good or worse."

( Photo credit : tommyhj )

8. Fenugreek Seeds
Get a handful of fenugreek seeds. Soak them in water overnight. Next morning, crush the seeds to form a paste. Add some water and a few drops of lemon juice to form a paste. Apply this paste on your skin and keep it on for 30 minutes.It feels like a protein mask as the seeds are high in protein. Wash this off after 30 minutes with warm water. This home remedy can take away some of your blackheads. Repeat every day to get rid of blackheads completely.
Fenugreek seeds paste reduce melanin pigment in skin, which leads to loss of sun tan. [3]

( Photo credit : Sanjay Acharya )

9. Willow Bark Powder
This is the herbal powder which is nothing but powdered bark of the Willow tree. It is very helpful in acne and blackheads because it is a source of salicylic acid [4], the same compound that is found in aspirin. This powder can be used brilliantly to exfoliate the skin and get rid of blackheads.

IngredientsWillow bark powder
Lemon juice
Directions / How to useTake 1 tablespoon willow bark powder. Add a few drops of lemon juice enough to form a paste. Apply it on blackhead prone skin. Keep it there for about 2 minutes. Then take an old but clean toothbrush. Dip it in hot water so that the bristles feel warm to the skin. Scrub your face over the paste using this toothbrush. Keep dipping it in the hot water pan to clean the toothbrush. This way, clean out all the paste. This also gets rid of the dark comedones.

" If you can't get willow bark powder, an aspirin would do fine."

( Photo credit : mennovdhorst )

10. Radish Seeds
This remedy involves radish seeds. Well, most of us may not be so accustomed to using the seeds of radish, but they can be obtained from a farmer's market or a seed store. You only need a small amount for each treatment.
Take some radish seeds and grind them to powder. You can use a grinder or a mortar and pestle. When it is quite fine, add some lemon juice and turn into paste. Apply it on your face at night. Scrub it off after about 20 minutes. It is an excellent home remedy for blackheads.

( Photo credit : ripplestone )

11. Egg Mask
This remedy for blackheads has many more health benefits. It is simple to apply and provides great relief from blackheads.

IngredientsRaw Egg whites
Lemon juice
Honey
Directions / How to useOpen up an egg and pour the egg white in a cup. Add 2 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. We add less lemon juice so that the mixture is more viscous. Mix it up very nicely and then apply it on blackhead prone skin in a thick paste. Let it sit there for about 20 minutes. One should start to feel a stretching sensation under the paste. Wash it off with hot water, gently scrubbing your face all the time. After the paste has come off, wash once again with very cold water. This is done to close the cleansed pores so that new blackheads don't appear.
Why it works ? Egg whites are strongly adhesive. When mixed with honey, it sticks to the skin and extracts out the blackheads.

( Photo credit : artbystevejohnson )

12. Make your own Blackhead strips
If you are a fan of pore strips, then this remedy will tell you how to make them at home itself. It saves money but is more time consuming. And it is very popular. So, this is the famous recipe.

IngredientsUnflavored gelatin ( also gelatine )
Milk ( I go for the skimmed one )
Directions / How to useTake 1 tablespoon of gelatine. It is a thick powder like substance obtained from collagen of animals. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to it and then heat it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. This softens and gelatin and allows the milk to fully mix with it. Now you have a really nice thick paste. Apply it on the blackhead covered skin and wait for about 10 minutes. It starts to feel really stiff as it dries. Now, slowly start to peel it off. For most people, it should come out gently. If not, then use a make-up stick and some oil to pull it out. One can actually see the blackheads and all the dirt on this home-made pore strip.
Why it works ? This remedy works on the strong adhesive and drying property of gelatin. Milk is used as a carrier.

( Photo credit : ervins_strauhmanis )

13. Tomato Face Mask
Mash up a tomato and apply it on your face. Make sure you apply only a thin layer of liquid and no tomato chunks. Do this at night after removing make up from skin. Wash it off next morning. Tomato helps to lighten up blackheads.It also reverses sun damage to skin. [6]

( Photo credit : somemixedstuff )

14. Cinnamon Scrub
Take finely powdered cinnamon. If you have cinnamon sticks, then grind them. Add a few drops of lemon juice but do not turn into a paste. It should feel like sand on the skin. Scrub the face with cinnamon powder and then wash it away with cold water.

( Photo credit : trophygeek )

15. Baking Soda
Pure baking soda is great for acne and blackheads. One can apply it directly on the skin. Take about 1 - 2 tablespoon of baking soda. Add some water, not lemon juice. Lemon would cause chemical reaction between them, leading to bubbling. Turn it into a paste and apply over the skin containing blackheads. It dries quickly, turning into a crusty paste. Scrub it off without water as much as you can. Then wash away with warm water. Finish off with a freezing cold water splash.
This remedy shrinks acne pores and helps to extract blackheads.

( Photo credit : ecokaren )

16. Green Tea Scrub ( powerful anti-blackhead scrub )
In parts of the world where tea is common, women use green tea leaves for all kinds of skin problems. It is the supreme antioxidant and very good for the skin. This is a home remedy for blackheads which is made from green tea.

IngredientsGreen tea bag ( go for the greenest, best quality tea )
Honey
Rice flour
Directions / How to usePrepare tea with green tea bag. Now, cut open the bag and sprinkle the damp leaves in a cup. Add 1 tablespoon of honey for 2 tea bags. Then add 1 tablespoon of fine rice flour to add consistency to the scrub. Apply it on your skin and scrub gently. Keep scrubbing for about 5 minutes. Then wash your skin with cold water. This leaves your skin cool, hydrated and free from blackheads. It also lightens the dark spots, blemishes and promotes healing of acne scars and other kinds of scars.

( Photo credit : oxborrow )

So, there you go. Try any of these home remedies to get blackhead free skin. But, do take care of your skin and take certain precautions, like these.

Precautions

Blackhead extraction using finger nails can leave the skin inflamed. Apply aloe vera gel to soothe the inflammation.
Avoid poking or touching the acne pimples. They may aggravate.
Do not go out in the sun after applying lemon to your skin. It makes the skin photosensitive . Apply a sunscreen of high SPF ( about 50 ) to prevent sun damage is you really need to go.

References

1. Clay jojoba oil facial mask for lesioned skin and mild acne--results of a prospective, observational pilot study.Meier L, Stange R, Michalsen A, Uehleke B.

2. Potential of honey in the treatment of wounds and burns.Molan PC.

3. Formulation and characterization of a cream containing extract of fenugreek seeds.Waqas MK, Akhtar N, Ahmad M, Murtaza G, Khan HM, Iqbal M, Rasul A, Bhatti NS.

4. Treatment of low back pain exacerbations with willow bark extract: a randomized double-blind study.Chrubasik S, Eisenberg E, Balan E, Weinberger T, Luzzati R, Conradt C.

5. Investigations on Gelatin. PubMedHealth

6. Dietary tomato paste protects against ultraviolet light-induced erythema in humans. Stahl W, Heinrich U, Wiseman S, Eichler O, Sies H, Tronnier H.