Understanding Blackheads And How They May Affect You
Blackheads are
not statistically a serious human medical condition.
However, learning about blackheads, what blackheads are, and are not, before
you attempt to self-treat them, is a wise first step to undertake.
In addition, you may alway want to visit your doctor first
if medical treatment for persistent pimples or inflamed
cysts are present in order to avoid scarring to your skin.
Having a sesson with your doctor is also recommended if
the results of acne are affecting your appearance, your social relationships or even your self-esteem.
Be sure to ask your dermatologist if your type of acne can be controlled and how
scars can be diminished.
Blackheads are a type of Acne.
Acne Vulgaris (simply called Acne) is a skin disease,
caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units which is the skin structures consisting of a hair
follicle along with its associated sebaceous gland.
Acne can be non-inflammatory or inflammatory when it is produced in our bodies.
Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne can also manifest in several non-inflammatory forms.
Acne lesions or pimples are often referred to as breakouts, spots, or zits.
Scientific research has created new blackheads treatment products, and
helped to cause many sweeping changes in existing blackheads prevention
and removal methods.
Thanks to these type of medical advances, people afflicted by blackheads,
whiteheads and other types of acne have more effective treatment choices
than ever before.
About Acne
Acne is a direct result of hormonal changes in our body that
afflict individuals regardless of gender, race, age, or location.
Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells.
Other pores with-in your skin,
which are the openings of the sweat glands onto the surface of your skin, aren't normally involved in the performance of acne.
When skin cells block our pores (Pours where hair follicles reside), Acne results.
Closed pores result in whiteheads, open pores in blackheads.
Red inflamed skin areas,
reddish pimples, patches of blackheads, or whiteheads can occur when inflamed Acne bacteria break
through the blackhead or whitehead.
About Combination Acne Treatment Therapies
There are a number of blackheads, whiteheads and other types of acne, products
employed by medical science that help unblock the
pores and reduce bacteria.
These fighting bacteria ingredients include topical retinoid,
hydroxyl acids, benzyl peroxide and antibiotics.
Combination blackheads or general acne therapies using both oral and topical antibiotics or topical
retinoid
in conjunction with a chemical peel are highly effective in
managing acne, and can achieve good results for most
individuals without skin
scarring issues.
Combination therapies should always be discussed first with your dermatologist
who can recommend after an evaluation, a helpful therapy both initially and for the long-term maintenance of blackheads, whiteheads or other types of acne.
Micro-dermabrasion
Chemical peels and micro-dermabrasion product use,
results in superficial exfoliation of the skin that can improve
irregularities in the skin’s surface which in turn will
help enhance the deep penetration of topical treatments..
Chemical peels and micro-derabrasion product and procedures are best used
in combination with other blackheads and acne treatments
because together these type of beneficial treatments help to smooth the skin’s surface,
while helping
to successfully diminish scarring created by acne.
Dermabrasion is usually reserved for more severe types of blackheads scarring,.
Surface scars may be completely
removed and deeper acne scars may appear less noticeable.
Dermabrasion however may cause some pigmentation changes for people with darker skin.
Topical treatments
Topical retinoids are comedolytic and anti-inflammatory. They cause
epidermal differentiation and directly help to normalize follicular hyperproliferation and hyperkeratinization.
Topical retinoids reduce the numbers of microcomedones, comedones, and inflammatory lesions.
Topical retinoids may be used alone or in combination with other acne medications. The most commonly prescribed topical retinoids include adapalene, tazarotene, and tretinoin.
These retinoids applied once daily help to clean, and dry skin.
Skin irritation with peeling and redness may occur.
The use of mild, nondrying cleansers and non-comedogenic moisturizers may help reduce this
type of irritation. Topical retinoids also thin the stratum corneum, and they have been associated with
helping to cause sun sensitivity.
Topical antibiotics
Topical antibiotics are mainly used for their role against P acnes. They have
some anti-inflammatory properties. Topical antibiotics are not comedolytic, and bacterial resistance may develop.
The development of resistance is lessened when topical antibiotics are used in combination with benzoyl peroxide.
Commonly prescribed topical antibiotics include erythromycin and clindamycin alone or in combination with benzoyl peroxide.
Clindamycin and erythromycin are available in a variety of topical agents,
but solutions may be more irritating than creams or lotion mixtures.
Benzoyl peroxide products are effective against P acnes, and bacterial resistance to benzoyl peroxide
may not occur.
Benzoyl peroxides are available over the counter and by prescription in a variety of topical forms, including soaps, washes, lotions, creams, and gels.
Systemic treatments
Systemic antibiotics have anti-inflammatory properties, and they are effective against P acnes.
The tetracycline group of antibiotics is commonly prescribed for acne. The more lipophilic antibiotics, such as doxycycline and minocycline, are generally more effective than tetracycline.
Other antibiotics, including trimethoprim, alone or in combination with sulfamethoxazole, and azithromycin, are reportedly helpful.
Some hormonal therapies may be effective in the treatment of acne vulgaris
such as Oral contraceptives which increase sex hormone binding globulin, resulting in an overall decrease in circulating free testosterone.
Combination birth control pills have also shown efficacy in the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Spironolactone may be used in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Spironolactone binds the androgen receptor and reduces androgen production.
but som a adverse effects may occur such as dizziness, breast tenderness, and dysmenorrhea.
Isotretinoin is a systemic retinoid that is highly effective in the treatment of severe, recalcitrant acne vulgaris. It causes normalization of epidermal differentiation, depresses sebum excretion by 70%, is anti-inflammatory, and even reduces the presence of P acnes.
Isotretinoin is a teratogen, and pregnancy risk must be avoided. Contraception counseling is mandatory.
A US Food and Drug Administration–mandated registry is now in place for all individuals prescribing, dispensing, or taking isotretinoin.
With so many useful blackheads and acne treatment options available it's a little confusing to most people to figure
out what works best to treat or prevent their blackheads and other types of acne, while avoiding
blackheads and acne products that simply won't work well for them.
