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What causes blackheads: A Science Backed Approach
Persisting blackheads? Science may have an explanation. Read on to learn all about what causes blackheads.
Resource by: PROVEN Team
What Causes Blackheads?
Blackheads are caused by pores in the skin that become clogged. They are a type of acne lesionthat typically develops on the face—which is prone to producing higher amounts of sebum. Thisis an oil that is naturally produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin, and higherconcentrations are usually found on the forehead, nose, chin, and back, neck, and chest.
Take a Closer Look at What Causes Blackheads
There are seven main types of acne and they fall into two unique categories: inflammatory and non-inflammatory, though you may experience more than one kind of acne at a time.
Blackheads are a type of non-inflammatory acne and are one of the most common types of breakouts that most people experience.
Understanding how blackheads develop makes it easier to treat and prevent them at home. Here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind about the common causes of blackheads and how they can be avoided.
It may be common knowledge that plugged pores in the skin cause acne lesions. However, there are four underlying causes of blackheads and other types of acne. They are the excessive production of sebum, the clogging of hair follicles with the excess oil and dead skin cells, the accumulation of bacteria, and the development of inflammation.
The process starts with the production of sebum. Our pores can clog as the result of makeup buildup, pollutants, and more, but one of the most common causes of pore clogging is sebum, an oil-like secretion that can help to keep our skin well-moisturized, healthy, and protected, in the right balance.
When there is too much sebum production, however, the excess oil fills the pores and causes bacteria to grow and accumulate, which leads to the appearance of oily skin and increases the likelihood of blackhead development.
Sebum is an oily, yellowish substance that plays a useful role in the body. It aids in moisture retention and prevents the skin from drying out. Sebum can also help protect people from infections. However, an overproduction of it isn't desirable. Each sebum-producing sebaceous gland is attached to a hair follicle. The process of sebum production is holocrine secretion. During this process, the glands make lipids—which are stored inside them for roughly one week before being released. The sebum flows over the hair follicle. At that point, the hair spreads the oil over the skin. This allows the oil to blend with dead skin cells and inside the lining of the pore. The oil begins to accumulate bacteria. As the oil and other debris move toward the pore's opening, the substances clog the opening, causing an acne lesion.
The most common cause of both types of non-inflammatory acne - blackheads and whiteheads - is clogged pores.
When our pores are filled or clogged with oil, dead skin cells, debris, or environmental allergens, it can cause build-up and irritation that leads to acne and breakouts. That’s why it is so essential to remove our makeup at the end of the day and find a reliable cleanser for cleanser our pores.
One of the main reasons you may see an increase in oil production and the associated breakouts, is because of hormone fluctuations or imbalances.
While it is very common for teenagers experiencing puberty to have more severe or regular cases of acne and blackhead breakouts, they can happen to men and women at any age, especially if they are undergoing hormone changes.
Hormonal birth control, stress, pregnancy, and even menopause can all contribute to the increased appearance of acne, due to the overproduction of oil.
If you know you are going to experience hormonal changes, it can be helpful to explore the best products and practice for your skincare needs ahead of time to prepare your skin for the coming changes.
What Causes Blackheads to Become Pigmented?
Blackheads are a type of comedone, which refers to a non-inflammatory acne lesion. It'spossible to develop closed or open comedones. Whiteheads are closed, whereas blackheadsare open. This is why blackheads become pigmented. As the air touches the sebum, the oilbecomes oxidized, which causes it to become dark.
Although anyone can develop blackheads on face areas, certain people can be at a higher risk ofgetting them. For example, some people naturally produce more sebum than others. Thehigher volume of skin oil will increase the risk of causing plugged pores. Similarly, duringspecific periods of life, people may produce more oil than at other times.
For example, boys and girls who are transitioning through puberty experience changes inhormone levels. The increase in androgens causes the sebaceous glands to enlarge and producea higher amount of sebum. Likewise, the hormonal fluctuations women experience duringmidlife can have the same effect.Other risk factors include the use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids, lithium, andtestosterone. Note that it is not advisable to abruptly discontinue a prescribed medicationwithout first consulting a doctor.Another risk factor is retention hyperkeratosis, which affects skin cell turnover. Typically, theskin continually creates new skin cells and sloughs off the old ones. This is known as cellturnover. When a person has retention hyperkeratosis, the skin produces more new skin cellsthan is normal, and the older cells are not sloughed off in a timely manner. The excess is morelikely to clog up the skin pores and cause blackheads.
How to Prevent Blackheads
Because blackheads often form as the result of hormonal changes, it can be difficult to eliminate their causes completely, but the good news is that you can take a few simple steps at home to reduce the conditions that contribute to breakouts. Here are just a few.
Removing the build-up of oil, dead skin cells, and debris from your pores is the most important step you can take when it comes to reducing the risk of breakouts. There are many unique options for facial cleansers -- our Skin Genome Quiz can come in handy to find the best ingredients to fit your needs, while still managing and treating blackhead breakouts.
It can be tempting to fall into bed after a long day, but taking those extra few minutes to remove your makeup can protect your skin, reduce the appearance of aging, and make acne breakouts fewer and far between.
Makeup can clog the pores and many makeup products can be oily or cause inflammation, so it’s always important to wash the makeup away completely.
Too much exposure to the elements can make the skin dry out and contribute to irritation, inflammation, and redness. There are many reasons you’ll want to wear sunscreen or protect your face when outside, like a reduced appearance of aging and protection from conditions like skin cancer. Wearing sunscreen can also help to keep your skin healthy and refreshed, which makes it easier for your skin to fight breakouts.
It’s important to note that some acne medications can increase sun sensitivity, so speak with your doctor about the best protection options.
When you eat healthy, get enough sleep, and stay hydrated and active throughout the day, it can help to balance your hormones and keep your skin feeling healthy, moisturized, and refreshed. Many fruits and vegetables are also chock-full of vitamins and nutrients that can give you a natural break out-fighting boost.
Discover clinically proven formulations for eliminating blackheads
At PROVEN, we believe that the most effective solution for blackheads and other skincareconcerns is one that is driven by science and customized to meet your unique needs. Based onyour answers to our skin quiz, our powerful AI algorithm will develop three customized,multifunctional products designed to work for your lifestyle, environment, skin type, and skinconcerns.All of our uniquely formulated products are clean, non-toxic, and cruelty-free, and they aremade in the U.S. by Stanford-trained scientists. Take the skin quiz today to find your formula for fighting back against blackheads.
Here is why personalized skincare is better
Personalized skincare comes with a host of benefits
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| Formulated and made-to-order for you | No | |
| Targeting your unique hyperpigmentation needs | No | |
| Optimized for your lifestyle + environment | No | |
| Easy 3-step system for all your skin needs | No | |
| Made by Stanford scientists and AI tech | No |
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