Although healthy skin will usually shed dead skin cells, oil and dirt through its own natural exfoliation process, sometimes the pores can become clogged and congested, requiring a little intervention. There are several categories of affordable products designed to help you gently and carefully dislodge blackheads, whiteheads and other pore-cloggers at home without the need to consult a dermatologist.
Physical Exfoliants
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells, dirt, oil and other impurities and problem-causers from the surface of the skin. Physical exfoliation is when these substances are stripped away through friction, and to a degree, you're physically exfoliating your skin simply by splashing some warm water on your face. However, for more efficient exfoliation, you can use physical exfoliation products like abrasive creams and soaps. These solutions contain small particles like ground pumice stone, seeds, synthetic beads or other substances that are designed to gently abrade the surface of the skin as you scrub, dislodging the material congesting your pores. More durable products for physical exfoliation include loofah sponges, shower puffs and textured washrags, which can achieve the same results through gentle scrubbing with warm water and mild soap.
Chemical Exfoliants
Chemical exfoliants are designed to achieve the same effect as physical exfoliants, but instead of physically scrubbing away dead skin and other substances, they dissolve them away through a chemical reaction. The skin health website DERMAdoctor identifies two main categories of chemical exfoliants. One kind, which may be marketed as a rejuvenator or exfoliating moisturizer, contains alpha or beta hydroxy acids and is intended to be worn throughout the day. The other kind is called a chemical peel, and is only left on the skin for a few minutes before it is peeled or washed off.
Pore Strips
Another product designed specifically for unclogging blackheads from congested pores is the pore strip. According to "Breaking Out: A Woman's Guide to Coping with Acne at Any Age," by Lydia Preston and Dr. Tina Alster, pore strips are pieces of cloth or paper with a layer of special adhesive on one side. The strip is placed adhesive side-down on blackhead prone skin, and after a short amount of time, is peeled off, ideally taking numerous blackheads with it. Preston and Alster warn, however, that this method of extraction rarely pulls out the entire obstruction and its epithelial lining. When this lining is left behind, the pore will simply begin building another blackhead that will appear sometime later.
Masks
Certain types of skin-clearing masks are also used to exfoliate the skin and clear out congested pores. These solutions often contain clay, a highly absorbent material, and are designed to be applied to the face or other skin while wet and left to dry, according to Janet Simms' book, "A Practical Guide to Beauty Therapy for Level 2." As the clay dries, it absorbs dead skin cells, dirt, oil and other substances from the surface of the skin and retains it in the mask material. When it is completely dry, the mask is removed by adding a small amount of warm water and massaging it off the face, which physically exfoliates the skin even further.
Member Comments