The black spots that are visible, especially on the T section area of the face are the most annoying factor to any individual. These spots become visible when the child enters into his or her puberty stage. In some cases, they fade away as the person matures, but in some, they become permanent part of the individual. So what are these black spots? These black spots are commonly called the blackheads because the upper part is usually black. To discover how to get rid of blackheads it’s important to learn about them. The history of blackheads will not only help in curing them, but will also help in preventing from them.

First, we will understand the nature of the blackheads and the cause of their formations. As, both these factors will guide us better in treating them.

Causes:
Blackheads are the type of acne that normally appears on the t- section area of the face. The main cause behind the formation of a blackhead is an oily substance known as sebum. This substance when get mixed with the germs and dirt present on the upper layer of the skin block the pores of the skin. These blocked pores become infectious and do not allow the formation of new skin over them. These pores when get exposed to the atmosphere, they get oxidized and get black. In some cases, the pores are small, but in some cases they can be large. Depending upon the size of the pores, the blackhead will also vary in its size. Now, the important thing is to understand how the oily substance is produced in the body? And what triggers its production? There are many reasons identified with the production of sebum in the body. Understating these reasons will greatly help in get rid of blackheads. Some of these reasons are given as below.

• Greater Sun exposure
• Heredity material
• Gender
• Age
• Medicine
• Diet
• Atmosphere

This is the reason which caused abnormal production of sebum in the body. When this substance is produced in large quality, it causes much harm to the skin and also is the main reason behind most of the acne. Now, we will discuss each of this cause one by one and see how they cause abnormal production of body oil.
Greater exposure to sun:

This is the reason which caused abnormal production of sebum in the body. When this substance is produced in large quality, it causes much harm to the skin and also is the main reason behind most of the acne. Now, we will discuss each of this cause one by one and see how they cause abnormal production of body oil.

Although sunlight is very important for every human being as it is the best source of vitamin D. However, if the individual is exposed to the sunlight more than the required hours, then it can become a problem for the skin. The research shows that greater exposure to sunlight activates the oil producing glands. These glands are called the sebaceous gland in medical terms. When these glands become activated, they produce more oil for the skin. This oil when mixed with the dirt and dead cells on the upper layer of skin make the best environment for the blackheads and other types of acne.

Heredity material:
Sometime, the heredity material of the individual is also responsible for the formation of blackheads. Heredity materials include all those cells that are responsible for carrying feature and characteristic of parents to the offspring. The cell which carries this information is called the genes. The research and study have proven that if the parent of the individual has the skin problems like acne, the offspring will most probably develop it too.

Gender:
It has been observed by research that both the genders have different types of skin. However, the skin problems are almost common in both genders. The study shows that production of oily substance is more in male then in female. This is because of a hormone known as androgen. The androgen is liable for creating male distinctiveness. Apart, from imparting sexuality, these hormones if produced in large quantity activate the development of the sebaceous gland. This gland in turn produces the oily material which is known as the sebum. Therefore, the tendencies of blackheads in male are much greater than in females.

Age
Age is the most common cause behind the blackheads and other acne. The research shows that when the children enter their puberty age they often suffer from the different problems of acnes. This happens, because of the production of a hormone. The hormone produces at the age of puberty causes the oil producing gland to enlarge. This enlargement then produces abnormal quantity of oil, which causes the blackheads. However, it is not necessary that these hormones are produced in every growing kid. This phenomenon is observed in most of the children.

Medicines:
The research conducted on the skin acne suggests that in some cases the cause of blackheads is the medicine prescribed by the doctors. The medicines or ingredient that has been observed as the basic cause of blackheads are the steroids. Steroid taken in any form might cause the acne problem because they affect the hormonal activity within the body. Apart, from steroid, another matter that has been observed to cause blackheads is the iodides. The medicines that are rich in this substance increase the chance of blackheads in an individual.

Diet:
The food we eat becomes the sources of blackheads in some cases. Not all food we eat is the sources of this skin problem. However, food that is rich in oil and fatty acids aggravate the blackhead’s problem because the content of oil increases in the body, which then appear on the upper part of the skin through these pimples or blackheads. Moreover, the fresh fruits and vegetable help in prevention of such skin problems.

Atmosphere:
The most important factor that is the cause of a blackhead is the atmosphere of an individual. To get rid of blackheads the clean atmosphere is very important. However, if the environment is concentrated with dirt, pollution and smoke, then the skin will develop the problem of blackheads much easily. The research shows that the blackhead or pimple usually consists of the oily substance from the skin, dirt from the atmosphere and dead cells. All these things when mixes forms the blackhead.

After, understanding the basic cause behind the blackheads, we will move forward to answer the important question of “how to get rid of blackheads.” We will be studying the prevention and curing methods of these blackheads.

Prevention:
• Prevention of any skin problem is always better than curing it. The research shows that preventing the blackhead problem is much easier and affordable then curing it afterword. Furthermore, during the prevention process the individual just has to stay away from few things or material to avoid the blackheads, but during the curing process, the individual might be asked to leave a list of things, which then seem difficult. To prevent this problem the individual first has to understand the cause of his and her blackheads, once they are aware of the cause, they are able to prevent it effectively. The famous prevention technique used by the individual from all over the world are given as follows.

• Cleansing: Cleansing is the best and most effective way to prevent the formation of blackheads. There are various methods and materials for cleansing that an individual can choose. However, for skin problems, the best ingredient that can be used is called the salicylic acid. Cleanser that has salicylic acid as their main ingredients are quite effective for acne problems because this substance not only prevents the formation of blackheads, but also prevents the peeling of skin, which is the main ingredient in the formation of blackheads. However, if this acid is used in large quantity, then it might cause pain to the skin.
• Using oil free product: While buying the skin products the individual should choose those products which offer less or no oil. In them. As, the oil is the basic substance for the formation of blackheads. Products that are less in oil content help in the prevention of blackheads.

• Cleanliness: Keeping the personal and environmental hygiene also help in preventing the blackheads. The research shows that most of the acne problem is caused due to bad hygiene conditions, whether it is personal or environmental. Keeping the environment clean will reduce the dirt factor, which is the main substance in the formation of the blackheads.

• High water intake: The best prevention method for blackheads is the high intake of water. Water helps in preventing this skin problem by removing all the harmful material from the body. As, the research shows that the main cause of blackhead is sometime the toxic material that build up within the body. When the body cannot remove the toxic material from the body, it appears on the skin as the blackheads. Water keeps the toxins away from the body by removing them through urinations. Furthermore, water help sin keeping the skin cells hydrated, which results in less secretion of oil from the pores.
The best prevention method for blackheads is the high intake of water. Water helps in preventing this skin problem by removing all the harmful material from the body. As the research shows that the main cause of a blackhead is sometime the toxic material that built up within the body. When the body cannot remove the toxic material from the body, it appears on the skin as the blackheads. Water keeps the toxins away from the body by removing them through urination. Furthermore, water help sin keeping the skin cells hydrated, which results in less secretion of oil from the pores.

Natural Methods
Natural methods include all those treatment that can be done within home and from home ingredients. These remedies are far much better than scientific treatment because they don’t have any side effects related with them. Furthermore, these treatments cost much less than the other medical treatments. Home remedies are usually passed from generation to generation. They are effective because they are developed based on experience. Some of the most common home treatments to get rid of blackheads are.

• Usage of soap: As, the studies show that blackheads are the type of acne in which the pore present in the upper layer of the skin gets blocked by the mixture of three substances those are dirt, oil and dead cells. So, the use of good quality anti bacterial soap will help in curing the blackheads by keeping the upper layer of the skin clean from bacteria and dirt.

• Continuous cleansing: Cleansing is the process in which the skin is deep cleaned by the use of different creams or solutions. Cleansing is the best natural way to cure the blackheads, as it keeps the pore of the skin clean and reduces the clogging. Cleansing not only helps in curing the blackheads, but also a method to prevent it. There are various creams and toners available in the market that can be used for cleansing purposes. However, while selecting the cream or toner for curing the blackheads, the individual should buy a product that has minimum content of oil.

• Honey: Honey is the substance that has the curing ability for many diseases. To get rid of blackheads honey is the most effective natural ingredient that can be used by any individual. It not only reduces the amount of blackheads, but also gives the skin a fresh and shinny look. It works best when mixed with lemon juice and almond oil. Furthermore, it also helps in reducing the marks caused by the large blackheads.

• Lemon juice: The lemon juice is considered the most effective home remedy for the blackheads. However, it cannot be applied alone on the skin because of its acidic nature. When it is mixed with other substances like oil, honey, glycerin it shows the remarkable result. The mixture of lemon juice, glycerin and oil is the best cure for the blackheads because the acidic nature of the lemon reduces the content of oil on the skin, and the glycerin hydrates the cells of the skin.

• Steaming: This is the most common home remedy used to get rid of blackheads. In this method, some water is boiled and removed from heat. The steam from the water is then introduced on to the skin, especially the facial area. The steam tends to open the pores for sweating and thus soften the blackheads present in them. These blackheads are then easily removed with the help of a tweezers.

• Usage of homemade scrubs: This is the most common home remedy used to get rid of blackheads. In this method, some water is boiled and removed from heat. The steam from the water is then introduced on to the skin, especially the facial area. The steam tends to open the pores for sweating and thus soften the blackheads present in them. These blackheads are then easily removed with the help of a tweezers. Scrubs can be the best way to cure the blackheads because they remove the dead cells from the skin, which is the main reason behind the formation of blackheads. However, it is not necessary to use the scrubs available in the market; anybody can make a scrub from the ingredients present in home. The most effective scrub that can be used to remove the blackheads is the almond scrub. This scrub is very easy to make and maintain. The required ingredients of this scrub are just the overnight soaked almonds. To make the paste the almonds need to be grounded roughly. This mixture is then applied on the affected areas and rubbed gently. This procedure not only exfoliates the skin, but also removes the blackheads from the pores.

These were some of the home or natural remedies that can be used to get rid of the blackheads. Apart, from these methods there are other scientific and medical treatments that can be used by an individual. The most famous treatment that are used to remove the blackheads are given as:

• Hormonal therapy: this treatment of removing blackheads from the skin is getting popular in the public because of its effectiveness. In this method various medicine are prescribed to the patient that control the hormone activity within the body. As, the basic cause of blackheads is the hormonal imbalance, the medicines given to the patient try to maintain the balance of that hormone. The most famous medicine prescribed by the doctors to treat the blackheads is called the Isotretinoin. This medicine is gaining popularity among the masses because it affects the structure of the DNA and changes it to control the activity of gland.

• Cryotherapy: The cryotherapy is another common scientific treatment used to get rid of blackheads. This therapy is also called the freeze therapy because in this therapy the liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the upper cell of the skin. This way the oil production is controlled and the blackheads are cleared form the skin.

• Blackhead extractor: This is the most famous tool used by the medical specialist. In this method the specialist use the metallic extractor to remove the blackheads. The structure of the extractor is same like a bobby pin. The one end of the tool is open to grab the infected part of the skin; pressure is applied on the open end to extract the blackhead. This procedure is a bit painful for the patient and also takes a lot of time if the infected area is larger. There are many type of extractor available in the market. However, the most effective tool is called the vacuum extractor. This equipment cause much less pains then the other extracting tools because it sucks the blackhead rather than forcing it out by force.

• Laser treatment: The laser treatment for acne is another medical method to get rid of the blackheads. This treatment can be used for any type of acne. The laser treatment that is used to remove the blackhead is called the dermabrasion. In this method, the upper most layer of the skin which is known as the epidermis is removed through the high beam lights of laser. The epidermis is removed by burning it through the high beam laser lights. This process is mostly avoided by the people because of the pain and time it takes to cure the skin problem. Furthermore, the time it requires to regenerate the new skin is quite long. With new advancement in the laser field, this process has been modified, but still people avoid it because of the misconceptions about the laser therapies.

• Chemical peel: This is another medical treatment used to get rid of blackheads. In this method, several acids are used to burn the upper layer of the skin. The removal of the upper layer of the skin eliminates the blackheads leaving the skin fresh and shiny.

• Blackhead removing Creams: There are special creams available in the market that removes the blackheads without removing or peeling the skin. These creams mostly consist of salicylic acid and hydroxyl acid. This two substance help in controlling the oil on the skin. As, oil is the main reason behind the formation of blackheads, once, this factor is controlled the blackheads formation is reduced.

• Laser resurfacing: Apart, from the dermabrasion laser therapy, another therapy that includes laser is known as the laser resurfacing. This therapy is much like the dermabrasion, but it is preferred by the individuals because it causes much less pain to the patients. Furthermore, this procedure does not require to be repeated again, and hence it requires much less time.

These are the common treatment used by the doctors and specialist all around the world to get rid of blackheads. Although, these treatments are quite effective, but the home remedies are still the best and preferred choice of many individuals. The medical treatments are also avoided by the people because they cost much higher than the home remedies. Moreover, only few of these treatments guarantee the full extinction of the blackheads. Home remedies are much better option because they are safe and have no side effects attached with them. Furthermore, these remedies are more trusted by people because they are suggested through experience. To get rid of blackheads the preventions should be kept in mind. As, this prevention will not only help in avoiding the blackhead, but will also help in reducing many other diseases. Most of the acne problems are due to the unhealthy and dirty environment. So, if the environment is kept clean, half of the skin problems can be reduced. The blackheads cause no psychical harm to the individual, but still it is important to treat them because they affect the self-esteem of an individual.