The needling, the pinching of the nose—not to mention the few tears— and the redness. Yes ladies, I am talking about removing the small dermatological horror sitting on our nose that makes us look as if we are meant to be flying around on a broomstick and have green face.
Many of us lack awareness of what a blackhead is. It’s a small bump that appears on your nose due clogged hair follicles which get oxidized in air and turn black due to oil and dead skin cells accumulating in the follicle.
Vanity is something we all crave for. Hence, when we spot those blackheads on our nose, the stress level goes up, especially if you have an important event to attend. Our initial instinct is often to pinch and then run to the salon to remove them. Such an unpleasant experience can leave you with scars, redness and teary red eyes. Personally, I think you should be sedated before they go in to the rooted problem area.
Of course, there are other options few involving home remedies and others require consumerism.
Using Scrubs, Strips, and Toothpaste
Buying blackhead nose strips or exfoliating scrubs is an easy to remove the blackheads. Applying toothpaste on the nose after washing your face, letting it dry, and then and using a clean brush to remove the paste is another useful way to remove the blackheads.
Home remedies
If you prefer taking the DIY route and make your own mixtures to remove blackheads, then here are some good ones:
- Baking soda: make a paste using 2 teas spoons of baking soda and water in bowl and apply on the nose until it dries off. Then wash it off with warm water.
- Plastic wrap and warm cloth: using hot water and cleanser rub off all the oil and grime and open pores. Next apply a thick layer of moisturizer and seal it with plastic wrap. Place wash cloth on top of the plastic one after the other. Leave for five minutes and the wash it off. After softening with oil using tissue paper and index fingers and pop it off. Antiseptic may help
- Facial mask: mix one egg with 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and miss. Apply paste on the nose and massage. Leave it on for ten minutes and rinse it off using wash cloth.
Visiting a Dermatologist
Your dermatologist will check your skin and prescribe a healthy routine for your skin as well as medicine which will help remove excess oil and prevents pores from being blocked.
In case your blackheads have become a nuisance, laser treatments are also provided by the dermatologist. The low density and low energy non-ablative lasers like Clear+Brilliant or microsecond lasers like Aerolase have proven to be very effective.
DR Rachel Nazarian at Schweiger dermatology group recommends using the following:
- Salicylic acid gel: it’s easily available and must be applied on the nose for long period of time and should be used for several weeks for effective results. Nazarian recommends Clean& Clear advantage Acne Spot treatment.
- Retinoid: retinol night cream like Kate Somerville’sret Asphere 2-in-1
- Enzymatic exfoliator: papaya, charcoal, clay and many others should be used once or twice a week.
Conclusion
Blackheads can quickly become a nuisance. However, they can easily be dealt with using the above mentioned methods.
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