Many women try to carefully care for their face and eliminate existing defects. Fresh and clean skin makes a woman beautiful and attractive. Not all girls are lucky enough to be born with perfect dermis. Many representatives of the fair sex are forced to struggle with flaws in order to look great. A common problem is blackheads. They are noticeable on faces and significantly spoil the appearance. There are many ways to treat blackheads. They are definitely worth considering.
Why do blackheads appear on lips?
There are many special glands on the skin of the face that secrete sebaceous secretions through the pores. It protects the epidermis from exposure to the external environment and microbes.
Expert opinion
Anastasia Zaslavskaya
Dermatologist, cosmetologist
In some cases, pores can become clogged with dead cells along with dirt and makeup residue. In this case, spots and blackheads appear on the face.
A cosmetic defect is expressed differently in different people. The color range ranges from dark gray, light bluish to black. Sizes and shapes can also vary.
Reasons for the appearance of blackheads near the lips:
- Hormonal imbalances lead to increased functioning of the sebaceous glands. The skin of the face becomes oily and the pores become clogged faster. A person's voice becomes rough, sweating increases, and the amount of hair on the body increases.
- Oil-based cosmetics clog pores immediately after application.
- Failure to comply with hygiene rules when girls and women go to bed without removing decorative cosmetics from their faces.
- The presence of large amounts of fatty foods in the diet leads to metabolic disorders. In this case, the skin of the face suffers more than other parts of the body.
- The use of hormonal medications, smoking, excessive consumption of black coffee and alcohol lead to disruption of the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
- Using a contaminated mobile phone. When this object is taken with unwashed hands and then pressed against the face, there is a high possibility of pathogenic microbes getting into the pores. To reduce the risk of infection, you should wipe your phone with antiseptic wet wipes every day.
- Any of these factors can lead to cosmetic defects around the mouth. Most often they occur in adolescents during adolescence.
Comedon on the lip. What are blackheads around the lips?
Unpleasant black dots that can appear around the lips are called comedones. Comedon is nothing more than sebum mixed with dead particles of the epidermis and dirt and clogged the pore to capacity.
Comedones acquire a black color under the influence of oxygen: its contents oxidize and darken in air.
There are two types of comedones:
- white (closed),
- black (open).
The nature of both types is the same. The difference between them is that the white ones are located under the skin and do not have an outlet, while the black ones, on the contrary, block the mouth of the pore and are therefore clearly visible.
The favorite places for comedones to appear are those parts of the face where there are more sebaceous glands and they are more active. In addition to the circumlabial area, these are:
- lip edge,
- nose,
- a small area of the cheeks around the nose,
- eyebrow space,
- forehead skin,
- chin.
This zone is shaped like the letter “T”, which is why it got its name. Even with good skin condition in general, it is the T-zone that can cause significant trouble with its appearance.
The reasons for the appearance of blackheads are very simple:
- violation of facial hygiene - improper skin care (untimely cleansing, incorrectly selected cosmetic products, often touching the face with your hands), pores become clogged with dead skin particles, dust, powder, lipstick, too greasy cream, the comedones fraction turns out to be quite dense, but the comedones themselves are good noticeable
- internal causes are those factors that increase the activity of the sebaceous glands, as a result of which they intensively secrete sebum: hormonal surges,
- stress,
- bad habits - if alcohol acts from the inside, increasing blood circulation and stimulating the sebaceous glands, then the products of tobacco combustion also have an external effect, settling on the skin of the face and primarily around the lips,
- gastrointestinal diseases,
How to remove blackheads from the lips
If you act in the old fashioned way - squeezing out comedones, then such a procedure can only aggravate the problem. Firstly, it is quite painful. Secondly, an infection can get into the wounds, after which inflammation will begin. Its consequences are difficult to remove.
There are several ways to help remove blackheads painlessly. Moreover, these do not require visiting specialists. They are as effective as expensive salon treatments.
Home remedies are good if comedones appear in small quantities.
Home methods to remove blackheads around mouth
Under no circumstances should you immediately begin to remove such a problem as blackheads around the lips.
First, you need to thoroughly cleanse your face with makeup remover and lotion. This procedure will greatly facilitate the removal of comedones. Then you should take a steam bath or put a warm compress on your face for 5-7 minutes. The skin will soften and the pores will open. Only now is the time to remove blackheads.
- The simplest and most popular is to use a special patch. If you follow the instructions and act carefully when removing the sticky product from the lip contour, the positive effect will appear immediately. But you need to remember that the patch cannot be used very often, so as not to cause irritation around the lips.
- Apply a mixture of starch and vinegar, diluted in equal quantities to obtain a thick paste, to problem areas. Remove with a soft sponge dampened with water after 10–15 minutes.
- Mix 1/8 cup of warm boiled water with two drops of iodine and 0.5 teaspoon of extra salt. Wipe the area around the upper and lower lips with this solution and let the solution dry. And then rinse with warm running water.
- Take 3 tablespoons of kefir, heated to room temperature, add 2 tablespoons of chopped oatmeal, mix. Add 1 tablespoon each of freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil and stir again. Apply this mask to blackheads and leave for 5-7 minutes. Then rinse off with running cool water.
If home remedies do not give the desired effect, you should consult a dermatologist.
Cosmetic and therapeutic methods for eliminating blackheads around the mouth
After conducting a series of tests, the doctor prescribes various medications:
- Zinc ointment dries out inflammation, narrows pores, and prevents them from clogging.
- Salicylic gel as an antiseptic removes inflammation of the epidermis.
- Thanks to special components (retinoic acid), Differin cream dries out comedones.
- Skinoren gel (azelaic acid) has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. It dries the skin very much, it should be used with moisturizing creams.
Medications that help get rid of blackheads around the lips can cause allergies. Therefore, you should not use them without consulting a specialist.
In specialized stores and pharmacies there are cosmetics for the face that help cope with cosmetic defects:
- Fabric masks contain a concentrate of medicinal plants that can penetrate deep into the pores.
- Clay-based masks remove excess sebum and tighten pores, thereby preventing them from clogging.
- Gel applicators with salicylic acid have an exfoliating and anti-inflammatory effect.
These drugs are used in accordance with the instructions.
How to prevent acne and post-acne
To prevent acne and the development of post-acne, you must follow the rules of face and body care. It is important to use cleansing and skin care products selected for your age and skin type, and use them only for their intended purpose and according to the instructions.
Do not squeeze blackheads or white pimples.
To speed up their healing, you can use special creams, serums or other targeted products. If acne does not go away or its number increases, a visit to a dermatologist is necessary.
To protect your skin from inflammation, try not to touch your face or rub it with your hands during the day; if you talk on the phone a lot, treat your gadget, as there are always a lot of bacteria on it that get on the skin.
Change your towels more often or ditch them in favor of disposable paper towels. Be sure to wash your face twice a day and take a shower. For washing, you need to choose mild cleansers. If you are prone to acne, you need a soft, delicate and well-cleansing cosmetic product. Regular soap or shower gel may be too harsh.
Preventing blackheads
When a person wants to get rid of a cosmetic defect for a long time, it is necessary to take measures to ensure that they do not appear again.
You need to know that mechanical removal of comedones is part of the problem. Blackheads cannot appear on their own. It is necessary to determine the main cause of their occurrence and eliminate it.
- If a person has oily facial skin, then you should not buy masks, glosses and oil-based creams.
- You need to drink enough clean water and minimize the consumption of fatty foods.
- Daily removal of decorative cosmetics before bed is required with a special product, and then with salicylic acid-based lotion. It removes the head of the comedone.
- Under no circumstances should you use cosmetics that have already expired.
- Do not eat hot foods or drink cold liquids. Their use leads to mini-burns of the skin above and around the lip, resulting in the appearance of blackheads.
By adjusting your diet and making adjustments to your daily menu, you can achieve a significant improvement in your appearance and overall well-being. After all, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and grains cleanse the intestines and contribute to its normal functioning.
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Causes of blackheads
Before deciding how to get rid of blackheads, it is worth understanding the reason for their appearance.
The defect can occur both due to poor health and due to external negative factors. In any case, you need to remember the reasons and the possibility of avoiding them. What causes blackheads to appear:
- Poor skin cleansing. It is important to wash off makeup thoroughly and ensure that dust and dirt do not accumulate in the pores. Otherwise, pimples and dark spots will appear.
- Hormonal imbalance. During pregnancy, menstrual periods, as well as problems with the endocrine system, sebum production increases. Because of this, the pores become clogged.
- Bad habits. If a woman smokes, it will be reflected on her face. The skin will age much faster because it reacts to carcinogens and resins. The dermis will often become inflamed.
- Excessive cleansing. If you wash and disinfect your face too thoroughly, then blackheads will also appear. Skin that is too clean will be defenseless against bacteria. The sebaceous glands will begin to produce sebum much more strongly.
- Poor quality cosmetics. Any cosmetic products must be safe for the skin. If the cosmetics are questionable, then it can lead to skin problems.
These and other reasons worsen the condition of the dermis. A woman needs to get rid of blackheads. There are different methods to deal with the problem. Some of them are more effective, and these are the ones you should take a closer look at.