Blackheads are a visible black spot on the surface of the skin. Most people experience blackheads on the skin at some point in life. They are due to a plug of debris made of oil and dead skin in a pore, notes MedlinePlus. Blackheads can appear on the chin, cheeks, nose and other areas of the face or body. Blackheads can arise for a variety of reasons and often spike in occurrence during the teenage years, notes NYU Langone Medical Center.
Failure to Clean Skin Regularly
Blackheads can appear due to lack of regularly cleaning the skin. If dirt, sebum, or oil, or makeup are allowed to stay on the skin during sleep, they can cause pores to become clogged and then blackheads will appear. It is important to wash skin at least once or twice a day, notes MedlinePlus.
Oil-Based Makeup
Wearing oil based makeup or lotions can cause blackheads and acne. Use only water-based products or those that are labeled "non-comedogenic," notes MedlinePlus. These products have undergone tests to show that they do not clog pores.
Touching the Face
Touching the face with the fingers or picking at blackheads or pimples can spread infection or debris that will clog pores and create new blackhead, notes MedlinePlus. Keep hands away from the face. This prevents contamination of the skin via moving germs onto the pores.
Changes in Hormone Levels
Fluctuations in hormone levels, such as an increase in androgens, the male hormones, can cause a spike in appearance of blackheads and acne, notes NYU Langone Medical Center. When hormone levels change during the adolescence and then later at midlife when menopause begins for women, blackheads can become more problematic. Blackheads are also often seen during pregnancy or during the menstrual period, times when hormone levels have frequent variations.
Changes in Hair Follicles
Changes in the hair follicle, such as contact with bacteria or skin debris, can cause a blackhead to occur, notes NYU Langone Medical Center. The skin is ever rejuvenating itself. As old cells die and more through the pores, the hair follicle can get contaminated with debris and cause an outbreak of blackheads and other types of acne.
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