How to Get Rid of Whiteheads

Have you ever looked in the mirror and saw that all of the sudden a big old pimple has appeared on your face? While many people think of this as a problem that occurs during the teenage years, there are plenty of adults that suffer from acne breakouts as well.

When you are faced with a big pimple on your face you usually start to wonder how to get rid of whiteheads as fast as you can. Before you start looking for solutions you need to understand that not all pimples are the same and that there are many things that you can do to both prevent and treat any acne breakouts that might occur no matter what age you are.

Types of Acne

There are many different types of acne and they can range from very mild to relatively severe. The most common type of acne is known as acne vulgaris.

The mild forms of this type of acne will be seen as whiteheads, blackheads, papules and pustules. Whiteheads are formed when the oil that is secreted by the hair follicles beneath the skin surface cannot escape because the pores of the skin are blocked.

Bacteria grows in the oil and results in a whitehead. A blackhead occurs if the pore is not completely blocks. Oxygen gets into the opening causing oxidation of the bacteria turning it black.

Papules are inflamed red bumps under the skin that do not have a head. Pustules are inflamed areas with a red circle that surround a yellow or white center. These are what most people will call zits.  The treatment process for all of these is fairly similar, but if you want to know about getting rid of whiteheads you can follow a few basic things.

Keep in mind, a more severe form of acne vulgaris, called cystic acne occurs much deeper in the skin. The cysts or nodules that are created are much larger and will usually require the help of a health professional to resolve them.

Dealing with Whiteheads

The good thing about whiteheads is that they are usually the fastest pimple to get rid of. They are the easiest to prevent and the easiest to treat. The key to the success of any whitehead treatment program is that it is done consistently. If you follow a good routine on a regular basis the impact of whiteheads will be significantly reduced.

The first thing to do is to stop whiteheads before they form. In order to accomplish this you need to follow a healthy diet and practice good hygiene habits. A healthy diet does not mean that you cannot eat certain foods, like chocolate.

Most foods can be eaten as long as it is in moderation. A healthy diet for the skin should include foods that are high in vitamin A and vitamin E to promote good skin health. A healthy diet will not only help prevent whiteheads from forming, they can also help the body in many other ways. The healthier you are the less susceptible you will be too many things including whiteheads.

Keeping your skin clean is very important. But, that does not mean washing your face every hour. It does mean washing your face properly with a good cleanser no more than twice a day. This practice is not only good for preventing whiteheads, but will also be one of the ways to get rid of whiteheads.

You will not achieve a good cleanse by just throwing cold water on your face. If you want to clean your face, you need to make sure it is a deep cleaning. You want to make sure that you are able to keep the pores of your skin open and do not allow them to fill up with dirt. Use warm water, a good cleanser, and a soft clean towel to pat dry your skin.

Makeup and other products that are used on the skin should be made of something that will not clog the pores. There are non-acnegenic products that are being sold that are much better for the skin and can both help prevent whiteheads and treat any whiteheads that form.  No matter what you use it is best to make sure that your skin is properly cleaned off at some point of the day.

Is it better to pop whiteheads or leave them

Despite your best efforts, you might have the appearance of a whitehead at some point. If that occurs it is important to resist the urge to pop it.

Popping your zits is not considered an adequate treatment for whiteheads and it is, in general, not a good way to get rid of acne. It might actually cause even more breakouts.  Whiteheads are not considered to be a severe form of acne and most of the treatments for them are usually topical.

There are many creams that have been shown to be effective at helping clear up any breakouts of whiteheads that do occur. While some of the products may not deliver on their promise there are plenty that will work. The advice of a health professional might help you find the product that will work the best for you.

Choosing the product to treat your whiteheads is only one part of the solution. It needs to be used. Just like getting a deep cleaning of the skin is an important part of the regimen to prevent whiteheads, the same discipline must be used to get the most impact from a topical ointment. It should be used according to the directions and you should not skip any of the applications that are need. When it is applied, you need to make sure your hands and the area where the whitehead is located is clean to reduce the chance of spreading any more infections.

Whiteheads are a normal part of many people’s lives. The idea of how to get rid of whiteheads is not something to be afraid of. If you can keep yourself from freaking out and take a few basic steps to both prevent and treat any whiteheads that occur, the whiteheads will only be a minor inconvenience. The steps that you need to take are very simple and they do not interfere with your everyday life.  If you take care of your skin, whiteheads will not be a problem that ruins your life.