Blackheads vs. Whiteheads

Blackheads vs. Whiteheads

Blackheads and whiteheads are two of the most common types of acne. Blackheads are black dots on your face while whiteheads are white, pus-filled spots. Both are pores clogged with dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria but don’t worry! These can be tackled with a few easy steps and key ingredients.

What Causes Blackheads & Whiteheads?

Our skin contains a natural oil called sebum which protects it and keeps it moisturised.
Sometimes, a dead cell layer blocks the pores in your skin, clogging the sebum inside. When the sebum can’t find its way out, your skin develops a black or whitehead.
When you have blackheads, a chemical reaction with the sebum occurs under your skin, melanin is oxidised and turns the clogged pores a black colour.
In the case of whiteheads, air isn’t able to enter the follicle so the bacteria doesn’t undergo the same chemical reaction that causes blackheads to be dark in colour. Whiteheads are white or yellow and look like small bumps. Both forms of acne are usually found on your face, back and
shoulders.

A few factors that lead to blackheads and whiteheads include:
- Excessive sebum production
- Clogging in hair follicle due to dead skin cells
- Hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy and menstruation can influence sebum production
- Birth control pills can also affect sebum production
- Certain medication like corticosteriods, lithium or androgens stimulate sebum production
- Humid weather
- Having an unhealthy diet such as eating too much oily food

How Can I Treat This?

As both black and whiteheads are caused by clogged pores, you can treat them similarly. Our blemish range contains bacteria fighting ingredients like tea tree and aloe vera and natural salicylic acid with anti-inflammatory properties to unclog pores. To avoid a build up of bacteria, make sure to thoroughly cleanse morning and evening using a gentle cleanser like our natural
purifying cleanser. Follow this step with deep hydration with clean ingredients so your skin doesn't dry out and overcompensate for the lack of moisture by producing more pore-clogging sebum.

We recommend our award-winning Miracle Worker face cream which contains rosehip oil and calendula which fight off bacteria while healing and protecting the skin. Married with other star ingredients like tamanu and vitamin E, they all work together to diminish post-pimple dark spots too, pair with Natural Treatment Gel to maximize the effect. 

Don’t forget to also exfoliate twice a week with our Organic Gentle Facial Exfoliator to slough away dead skin cells and dirt that may clog your pores. Coconut, macadamia and sesame oils help penetrate deep into to skin to clear pores without stripping your skin of its natural oils.

A key point to mention is to avoid touching your face as much as possible (no matter how tempted you are!).

Your conscience may be telling you to pick at your skin but spreading the
bacteria from your hands, as well as from the burst blackhead or whitehead can lead to more outbreaks across the rest of your face. Picking can also lead to scarring, discoloration or skin that is sore and irritated.

Clean your makeup brushes regularly as well as your phone and
pillowcase as they are all regularly in contact with your face. As long as you stay consistent with your skincare and conscious about what touches your face, your skin will clear up in no time.