How to prevent blackheads

A healthy diet and good skin hygiene with the right products will help prevent blackheads from developing.

Dr. Dang Thi Ngoc Bich, Department of Dermatology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the sebum glands secrete sebum to help protect the skin, prevent dry skin, maintain moisture and elasticity of the skin. However, when the body has increased sebum secretion, sebum will accumulate in hair follicles, causing acne. When the skin around the pores is exposed, air enters, the acne is oxidized and turns black.

Blackheads are open-ended pimples that appear on the nose, forehead, chin, cheeks, neck, back, chest, and sometimes on the buttocks, thighs, ears, and armpits. Blackheads do not seriously affect physical health, but they affect the psychology, making the patient self-conscious about their appearance.

A doctor checks a girl's skin condition. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City — A doctor checks a girl's skin condition. Photo: *Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City*

According to Dr. Bich, there are many effective ways to prevent blackheads, including: washing your face regularly, before going to bed, after sweating; wearing a headband regularly if your hair is oily; not touching your face; changing your pillowcase regularly.

People need to avoid direct sunlight on the skin, pay attention to applying sunscreen every day to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. At the same time, people need to relax, rest properly, exercise regularly, reduce stress, help prevent or minimize blackheads. Getting enough sleep, deep sleep will help the body rest, acne heals quickly.

Cleaning the skin before and after exercise is also very important, limiting the condition of acne on the body from becoming worse. Before exercising, people also need to remove makeup, use a towel to wipe off sweat, wash their face with cleanser or warm water after exercising. After exercising, you need to shower and change clothes as soon as possible to prevent sweat from clothes causing acne.

People should avoid foods that are high in empty calories, high in glycemic index, high in carbs, and sweets. A balanced diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy protein sources helps protect the skin.

People should also pay attention to cleaning their phones every day to avoid the risk of acne. At the same time, they should not use solid soaps or other skin care products that clog pores.

If you have oily skin, avoid products that are too emollient (thick or greasy creams), use a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, and avoid products with ingredients that dry out the skin. People with acne should also avoid scrubbing hard to remove acne because it will dry out the skin, cause peeling, and create more dead skin that clogs pores. In addition, before going to bed, people also need to remove makeup to prevent clogged pores.

A non-abrasive salicylic acid liquid (beta hydroxy acid or BHA) can be used to exfoliate dead skin cells that build up in pores and are at risk of turning into blackheads.

When having blackheads, people can overcome them in simple ways such as: using facial cleanser to prevent new pimples from forming; exfoliating to prevent sebum from forming, causing new blackheads; using a mild cleanser containing non-abrasive acids to reduce sebum and kill bacteria. If using a facial cleanser with grains, it is necessary to use a product with fine grains so as not to break the skin's protective barrier, causing infection. People with persistent blackheads can be uncomfortable and lose confidence, so they should see a dermatologist - Dermatologist for advice and definitive treatment.

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