Blackheads… What are they?
Blackheads are one of the most common complaint of my clients. Their real name is Comedones (reason why we should get “non-comedogenic” cosmetics, I’m sure you’ve heard it before), and they consists of a dilated (widened) hair follicle filled with keratin squamae (skin debris), bacteria, and sebum (oil). The oilier your skin is, the larger the pores are, and the more blackheads you get!
One thing I would like to clarify before we go on: pores don’t “open” or “close”. They “tighten” or “enlarge”. They also get “emptied” or “filled”. Pores are little duct-like holes in our skin and they secrete oil, and yes, the larger they are, the more dirt they can collect. Hence, a blackhead is born!
Next week’s Tip talks about what to do about them, how to prevent them, and how to get rid of them!
