If you use a quality wax product, it will remove your blackheads. Blackheads develop when a clog or plug develops in the opening of hair follicles in your skin. Applying the best hard wax products will remove your blackheads from the root, and ultimately give you your beautiful face that you deserve.
Having blackheads isn't something that causes for excitement for many others with them either. There are many ways to extract your blackheads from different types of products to DIYs. You can safely extract blackheads with a facial wax contained in many of the over-the-counter hair removal waxing kits.
What are blackheads?
A look at waxing as a way of removing blackheads
Blackheads, a kind of noninflammatory acne, are very common. They emerge as a result of dead skin cells and oil that get clogged in your pores. The affected pores remain open, allowing for oxidation of the clogged material at the surface, this is what gives blackheads the black color they’re notorious for. Blackheads usually affect the face, neck, back, and shoulders, and may become inflamed or cause scarring if left untreated. They affect all age groups, but particularly adolescents and young adults.
Causes for blackheads
Hormones
Hormonal imbalances are one of the most prevalent causes of blackheads and other kinds of acne lesions. It triggers excess sebum production. While most hormonal acne and its changes occur during puberty, other life events can catalyze the generation of excess sebum.
Puberty
The hormonal changes experienced during adolescence are the most common trigger for excessive production of sebum. When children enter puberty, the body begins to generate higher levels of hormones. This variation in hormones can lead to an increase in sebum production in the sebaceous gland. If excessive sebum mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria in the pore, a clog is formed. Should sebum production continue, the pore may enlarge and create a visible comedo, turning into either a blackhead or whiteheads. These kinds of lesions can worsen and become papules, pustules, nodes, and cysts depending kind of bacteria present.
Menstruation
Many women find their acne and prevalence of getting blackheads worsens during or before their period. This is because of the many hormonal fluctuations at this time. When estrogen levels decrease, progesterone levels increase. When progesterone rises, the oil glands in the skin produce more sebum. Menstruation-related acne breakouts begin about 2 to 7 days before a woman’s period and end once the period begins as progesterone levels balance out.
Birth Control Pills
While some women find that their acne goes away after beginning birth control, some of these prescriptions can cause outbreaks. Some contraceptive pills have been proven to clear acne. While most contraceptive pills help lower androgen levels, which in turn lower sebum production and clear the skin, some brands have the reverse effect. Birth control pills that have androgen-based progestin can result in more acne, and a higher incidence of blackheads, along with other lesions.
Pregnancy
Many women find that their acne worsens, or appears for the first time, while they are pregnant. This occurs about six weeks into a pregnancy. Fluctuating hormones can trigger an increase in androgen, which signals the production of more sebum. The body also retains more fluids during pregnancy, which can contain toxins that display as pimples.
Why use wax on blackheads?
Waxing is a safe, cost-effective and reliable way of removing blackheads. By adding waxing to your beauty routine, you can make your skin glow with radiance and feel smooth, fresh and free of blackheads.
Types of waxing
There are two techniques of waxing, cold and hot waxing. Both methods involve applying wax on the skin and its subsequent removal using cloth strips. The difference is the temperature of the wax when applied on the skin. Cold wax is applied directly from the container to the skin and then taken off, while hot wax is first heated then applied and taken off. Some claim that how waxing is better as it grips the hairs and blackheads better.
The benefits of waxing
1. You get smooth and even skin free of blackhead blemishes. One of the many perks of waxing is that your skin feels soft and even after treatment. When waxing, you not only remove blackheads, you also wax away any dry and dead skin cells in the process.
2. When done right there is minimal if any harm is done to the skin. With waxing, you run a lower risk of harming your skin than with other blackhead removal methods. Some can even cause scarring. This is great news, especially for those who are susceptible to skin discoloration due to even the slightest invasive treatments like microdermabrasion.
3. You get the added bonus of hair free skin – Waxing eradicates unwanted hair, from its roots leaving you with smooth, soft skin. And as a means of blackhead removal, it has minimal downtime.
4. This method causes minimal irritation and allergy-free. There are little chemicals included in the waxing process, so rarely does waxing cause any skin irritation or allergic reactions. Be careful while using hot wax. If it is too hot, it can cause burning and scalding
Using wax: before and after tips
Keep these tips in mind for the best waxing experience.
- Exfoliate the day before your wax appointment or before applying the wax if you choose to do it at home.
- Don’t apply a body lotion or heavy cream on the day of your waxing.
- If you are anxious about the pain, take a painkiller an hour before waxing.
- Avoid any hot treatments like going to a sauna, using a tanning bed or a hot bath for 24 hours after waxing.
- If you are waxing sensitive areas like around your mouth or near your eyes, take extra care as the sin here is more sensitive.
How to Remove Blackheads With Wax?
Here is how to remove blackheads from the face using hot wax.
Wash the affected areas. Using a mild cleanser, wash the areas that will be waxed. This gets rid of excess dirt and grime, which might prevent the wax from sticking.
Steam the face. Fill a bowl with some hot water and hold your head about 6 inches over the water for a few minutes. This opens the pores and allows the blackheads to come out a lot easier. To enhance the effect, drape a towel or washcloth over your head and the bowl of water to tent the steam and allow it permeate the pores more.
Prepare the wax. Read the instructions to determine how to use the wax. Most hot waxes are microwaveable, but some need heating over a heat source. For ease of use, read the labels or ask before buying the wax and get a microwaveable one.
Apply the wax to affected areas. Cold wax is easier to use as it comes in pre-waxed strips that you press onto the area and once secure take the strip off. Repeat until all the blackheads are removed. For hot wax , most of the time it comes with an applicator. If not, you can use a clean popsicle stick. Do small parts at a time, spreading the hot wax in one application.
Press on the paper or cloth strip and rub it, putting pressure over the waxed areas. Rub it in the same direction you applied the wax. It takes a minute for the wax to cool.
Pull the wax strip off. Take a deep breath, grab one end of the paper strip and quickly pull the strip straight up, hard and fast.
Apply a soothing lotion after. Make sure it is non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Other blackhead removal methods
If you are still unsure about waxing your blackheads away try these methods.
Try using pore cleansing strips. These are little strips of a cotton material backed with a very sticky solution that dries on your face. Follow the instructions on the package. Dampen your face and apply the strips to the blackhead-prone parts. Wait about 15 minutes, allowing for the strips to dry, and then rip them off fast to remove your blackheads. This method is similar to waxing, but the sticky substance differs. It also offers immediate results, follow it up with a cleansing routine to give long-term results.
Try a facial peel. Gels containing salicylic acid eat away the dead skin and grime that is trapped in your pores. Buy a salicylic acid peel from your pharmacy or visit a spa for a professional treatment. Apply a thin layer of the salicylic peel to the affected area, allow it to set, and then rinse off with warm water.
Get microdermabrasion. This is a special process where a specialized brush and chemical cleanser are used to clean out dead skin cells from the epidermis. These are often only available at spas or at your dermatologist’s office, but some beauty supply stores offer an at-home option. Be careful while using this method, if it is not done well or by a professional, it can cause severe harm to the skin. Get these treatments regularly to receive the best results.
Use a retinoid cream. Retinoid creams are loaded with vitamin A, which helps to improve skin cell turnover and prevent oil build-up. You can get them at beauty shops, drugstores or purchase them online. Apply it about 2-3 times a week together with your regular skin cleaning routine to keep your pores blackhead free.
Get a facial. Although using a blackhead removal-tool on your own could potentially cause damage to your skin, getting a professional facial can give you the same instant results with blackhead removing tools. Ask your dermatologist or esthetician for advice on the different facials that are offered and decide on which is best for your skin type; getting these blackhead facials once every 2-4 weeks can help to keep your skin clear over time.
Anti-blackhead cleanser. Since blackheads are typically little wax plugs that clog your pores, traditional soap will not do much to get rid of them. You require a cleanser that contains salicylic acid. Salicylic acid not only breaks up the elements of the blackheads but also helps prevent new ones from forming. Plus, it is gentle enough that won't irritate your skin.
Clearing Gel. For an added face cleaning kick, rub an acne clearing gel post-wash. Also containing salicylic acid, a clearing gel, smeared twice daily, will assist further break up the little wax plugs in your pores that develop the blackheads. And it will also help prevent future breakouts.
Acne wipes. A pre-soaked pad is another effective way to fight blackheads, pimples, and acne. Just ensure that the one you use has, along with salicylic acid, malic, lactic, and glycolic acid, as these substances will further break down the components of blackheads, and will reduce inflammation of your pores.
Facial cleansing brush. In case after a couple of weeks, you are not getting the results you were hoping for, try using a mechanized face-scrubbing brush into your regimen. In case you have sensitive skin, only use the scrub once a week. In case your skin is oily, you might try using it daily. Anyway, the pulsing sonic brush will hopefully loosen up the blackheads a bit faster.
Bring in the chemical exfoliants. With twenty-five percent AHA (alpha-hydroxy acids, such as lactic and glycolic) and two percent BHA (beta-hydroxy acids, such as salicylic), this night serum helps to resurface your skin by exfoliating away any built-up dead skin cells that can result in clogged pores. Leave it on, dry skin for twenty minutes, wash it off with warm water once every two weeks (this formula can be extreme), and slowly. However, surely, your blackheads will quite literally disappear.
Clay mask. One final approach for removing blackheads is an oil-absorbing clay mask, which will help strip away the wax plugs that genesis them. It also has the added advantage of refreshing your skin and getting rid of dead skin cells, so you will not only be free from blackheads, but you will also look younger. Do not use the clay mask daily though—once a week is all you will need.
Enlist your dermatologist's or health provider help. In case you are still not seeing improvement after using your new at-home regimen for about a month, consider visiting your dermatologist or health provider. He or she may have to de-drudge your blackheads using medical extraction devices or recommend a procedure to fasten your skin's exfoliation powers. Anyway, there is hope for your annoyingly stubborn blackheads to go away. You just need to be patient.
