How to Prevent Blackheads

Blackheads occur when dead skin cells mixed with skin oils become built up in the pores of your skin. Blackheads can be unsightly and you must keep a regular skin routine in place in order to keep them from recurring.

Things You'll Need

• Alcohol free skin cleanser
• Exfoliating wash
• Alpha-hydroxy moisturizer
• Topical retinoid cream

Instructions

1. Cleanse the skin regularly. Cleanse your skin regularly in the morning and at night. Use a skin cleanser that does not contain alcohol. While blackheads are partially caused by excess skin oils, drying your skin out with alcohol based cleaners is not a solution and can actually stimulate your skin to produce even more oil. Do not over wash your skin as this can also cause it to dry out.

2. Exfoliate your skin. Dead skin cells are another component of the dreaded blackhead. Exfoliating dead skin regularly will help keep it from mixing with skin oils and clogging your pores. Once a day or once every other day, use a gentle exfoliant cleanser or a cream containing alpha hydroxy that helps exfoliate dead skin.

3. Moisturize your skin. Keeping a light moisturizer on your skin could help reduce your skin's production of oils. Be sure to use a moisturizer that is non-comedogenic which means it won't further clog your pores.

4. Obtain a topical retinoid cream from your dermatologist. If your blackheads are persistent and don't respond to other methods, ask your dermatologist for a retinoid cream. A retenoid cream will do dual duty as it simultaneously slows down oil production while also speeding up skin cell reproduction which will reduce the chances that your pores will become clogged with an ugly blackhead.

Tips & Warnings

• Never squeeze blackheads as this can cause infection and scarring to your delicate skin.