Get insights on what causes blackheads on the various parts of your body such as the nose, lip line, ear and the back.
What Are Blackheads
Blackheads are also known as open comedo. They are small dark bumps that appears on the skin surface as a result of clogged hair follicles. They are referred as blackheads because they form black or dark spots on the skin surface but despite their name, they can also be yellow in color.
They are also known as open comedo because they are filled with skin debris, bacteria and sebum that causes widening of the hair follicle. Closed comedo is referred to as whitehead. They can develop on the various parts of your body such as the face, back, chest, neck, lip line, arms and shoulders.
Blackheads is a mild stage of acne. If you fail to control them, they may be invaded with a bacteria to form pimples that are also known as papule or pustule. They usually develop as a result of hormonal imbalances in your body that may result in overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands. The hormone changes may occur after onset of puberty, menstrual cycle and during pregnancy.
Sebaceous glands produces sebum that contain melanin that protects the skin. It also lubricates the hair and it is usually secreted through the skin openings. When your skin pores become blocked, it may result to accumulation of sebum and bacteria under the skin surface forming a whitehead. A blackhead will form when such pores becomes open to allow air to enter.
Blackheads are dark because when the air enters through the open pores, it oxidizes melanin to form a dark substance. Scrubbing the skin does not remove such substances since they are deeper into the skin. Therefore, the dark color does not mean that such substances are dirty according to medical news.
What Causes Blackheads
Blackheads develops when the hair follicles on your skin becomes clogged. The hair follicles contains sebaceous glands at the base that produces oil that keeps the hair lubricated. It also keeps the skin soft and protected. When excessive oil, dead skin cells and dirty clogs in this opening of the hair follicle, they forms a bump on the skin surface known as comedo.
When the bump becomes open, the air enters and oxidizes the clogged substances to form black substances known as blackheads. The bump can also remain closed to form a whitehead. There are various factors that increases the chances of developing blackheads. They includes:
- Hormonal changes in your body that cause increased production of oil.
- Skin that produces too much oil
- The use of greasy skin care products and makeup.
- Buildup of propionibacterium acnes on your skin. This is a bacteria that causes acne.
- Irritation of the hair follicles as a result of dead skin cells.
- Taking certain medications
Your body may undergo some hormonal imbalances in your life. During puberty stage, menstruation and while taking birth control pills may cause hormone changes in your body. When the level of estrogen in your body declines, it gives an opportunity for the level of testosterone to increase.
This imbalance cause the oil glands to produce excessive oil that may clog the hair follicle to cause blackheads. This explains why most teenager and young mothers may suffer from this condition.
Some of the skin care products and makeup may also increase the chances of developing this condition. The use of greasy make ups such as lipsticks may contribute to what causes blackheads on lip line and other parts of your face. The use of soluble or water-based makeups are best in preventing this condition. You should also wash your face daily before going to bed to remove the makeups and other dirty that may clog the pores.
The irritation of the ingrown hair can also lead to formation of blackheads. The hair that grows underneath the skin can also prevent the oil from coming out. This may lead to an infection that may cause pus and inflammation of the hair follicles. This condition is common among individuals with coarse hair such as African-Americans. According to Wikipedia.
The type of your skin can also contribute to formation of blackheads. Skin that produces more oil may experience this condition due to clogging of the hair follicles. Such skins also provide an ample condition for multiplication of acne causing bacteria if not cleaned well. You are supposed to wash such skin with warm water to get rid of excessive oil.
Taking certain medications can lead to blackheads. Some of the medicines may create a hormonal imbalances in your body. This may trigger the sebaceous glands to produce excessive oil that may clog the hair follicles. Such drugs includes androgens, corticosteroids among others.
Some people believe that taking certain foods may also contribute to this condition. Dairy products and carbohydrates may increase your blood sugar level that may trigger mild acne. But from the various dermatological research done there is minimal chances for such food to cause blackheads.
Blackheads on Nose Causes
Blackheads develops on the nose as a result of overproduction of sebum that causes clogging of the pores. Some people believe that poor hygiene contributes to this condition, however from the various scientifically research done shows that blackheads has nothing to do with improper cleaning of your skin.
The good news is that there is various remedies on how to get rid of blackheads fast. You may also visit your dermatologist if you have concern on clearing this condition. However, there are various factors that may contribute to blackheads on your nose. They include the following:
- Skin care products
Skin care products and makeups may contribute to what causes blackheads on nose. Your nose has more concentration of oil glands than the other parts of your face. Therefore, the skin products that you may be applying on your face may cause clogging of the hair follicles on your nose.
The oil may start to accumulate behind the clogged pores and hence resulting to formation of blackheads. If this condition is not controlled on time may lead to formation of pimples since blackheads is a mild acne.
- Poor sleeping position
The research done by Susan Binder, a dermatologist in New York City shows that sleeping on one side of your face may also contribute to what causes blackheads on the side of your nose. Sleeping on one side may cause friction on your nose against the pillowcase and sheets.
The pressure applied on the nose the whole night may also block the pores from excreting excessive oil from your nose. You are likely to develop blackheads especially on one side of your nose. Changing your sleeping position can help to fix this problem.
Working in high temperatures or intense working can cause excessive sweating. Over-production of sweat may contribute to formation of blackheads by blocking the sweat pores. Sweat can also cause dirty and makeups to clog the hair follicles that may result to accumulation of the oil behind the blocked pores.
Washing your face immediately after such strenuous work and exercises is important on how to get rid of blackheads. Using warm water can help in unblocking the clogged pores. You should also exfoliate your nose and face once a while to get rid of dead skin cell and dirty that may be clogging your nose.
The hormone changes in your body may contribute to what causes blackheads on the nose strips. The level of estrogen may start to drop in your twenties in women. This means that your body will have more testosterone than estrogen. This may activate your oil glands to produce excessive oil that may clog the pores and hence resulting to formation of blackheads. According to live strong.
- Some medications
Taking some medications may also cause the formation of blackheads on your nose and other parts of your face. Medicines such as steroids, phenytoin, estrogen and testosterone among others can contribute to this condition.
Blackheads in Ear Causes
Blackheads results from too much oil that may clog the pores. Dirty, dead skin cells and sebum can also combine to clogging of the hair follicles and hence causing formation of comedo. The comedo may become open allowing air to oxidize and hence turning black. However there are various factors that may contribute to formation of blackheads in the ear. They include:
- Excessive dead skin cells
Excessive dead skin cell, dirty and sebum may accumulate in the hair follicles resulting to clogging. This may cause blackheads in ear piercing and other parts of the ear. You are supposed to gently exfoliate your ear twice a week to remove the dead cells and other dirty.
- Improper ear cleaning routine
Improper ear cleaning routine can also contributes to what causes blackheads behind ear and inside. Many people may forget to clean behind the ears most of the time when taking shower. Others also don’t know how to clean the inner side of the ear. Removing the earwax using a cotton swab frequently may not be a recommended way of cleaning the ears. Use warm water to clean the ear and areas around the ear. Use clean cotton towel to dry them every time you clean.
- Excessive skin oil production
If your skin produces excessive oil, you are likely to experience formation of blackheads. It may result to clogging of the hair follicles. You will therefore end up having blackheads on the various parts of your ear.
- Presence of propionibacterium acnes on your ears
This is a bacteria that causes acne. This bacteria may attack different parts of your body to cause acne. When it attacks the ears, it may result to painful blackheads in ear. Cleaning the ear using antibacterial soap can help in killing such bacteria.
- Use of some medications
Taking some medications such as androgens, lithium and corticosteroids can increase the chances of developing acne on different parts of your body including the ears.
- Hormonal changes
Hormonal imbalances may also lead to formation of blackheads in your ears. Hormone changes especially during puberty, menstruation, during pregnancy and while taking birth control pill may trigger sebaceous glands to produce excessive oil.
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