Niacinamide, better known as vitamin B3, is a key ingredient in cosmetics. Present in many moisturizing and soothing formulas, it is appreciated for its countless virtues and its ability to adapt to all skin types....
Blackheads or mycrocyst? Differentiate and treat them
All skin types suffer from various imperfections, including unsightly pimples. The most common of these are blackheads or closed comedones and whiteheads or microcysts. These pimples usually appear on the T-zone of the face, i.e. the chin, nose and forehead, when the pores are clogged with excess oil, dead skin cells and other impurities. But then how to differentiate blackheads from microcysts and how to treat them?
How are open comedones and closed comedones formed?
Both of these types of acne breakouts form when the pores are clogged . The pores naturally evacuate sebum and perspiration. And the sebum has an essential role in the hydration of the follicles and the skin. However, when the pores are clogged due to impurities, dead cells, bacteria and excess sebum, the sebum is no longer evacuated naturally.
As a result, clogs form inside the pores and this can manifest in two different ways. When the pores are blocked, but the sebum manages to evacuate, the latter oxidizes on contact with the air and turns into blackheads . This is called open comedones .
On the other hand, when the sebum and dead cells fail to come out of the pores, the plugs are trapped inside, covered by a thin layer of skin. This is what gives it a white color. Hence the whiteheads called microcysts or closed comedones . In any case, these pimples are usually caused by:
- An excess of sebum
- Poor lifestyle (stress, lack of sleep, etc.)
- A diet that is too high in calories or sugar
- Unsuitable beauty treatments (particularly so-called comedogenic products)
- A hormonal change
When the hair channels are clogged, dead cells and sebum are no longer evacuated and form these unsightly pimples.
How to prevent the formation of acne pimples?
As they say, prevention is better than cure! So here are some tips you can apply to prevent the appearance of a black or white comedone.
What should you do?
Acne pimples mainly affect combination to oily skin, which very often has dilated pores and produces more sebum. Thus, it is advisable to always eliminate excessive sebum using a clay-based mask, for example. It has purifying and sanitizing properties which helps absorb excess sebum and regulate its production.
Dermatologists also recommend the use of beauty products in gel and liquid form to cleanse and moisturize the skin. Their texture is light which facilitates their penetration into the skin without weighing it down or clogging the pores. This is not the case for rich creams with a thick texture. For example, Cleanactyl anti-blemish cleansing gel with neutral pH cleanses the skin and purifies it without attacking it. It perfectly removes excess sebum, make-up residue and pollution particles, which tightens pores and softens the skin without drying it out.
What should you not do?
While exfoliating can deeply cleanse the skin, if used excessively, it can irritate the skin . Likewise, the use of cosmetic products containing irritating substances such as alcohol should be avoided, as this can stimulate the overproduction of sebum.
You should also avoid using harsh products like bar soap to cleanse the skin, as they can dry out and irritate the skin. Indeed, to protect itself, it will produce more sebum and this may once again clog the pores.
Sometimes comedones can be of bacterial origin. So, avoid touching your face regularly at the risk of proliferating bacteria. Finally, you must at all costs avoid trying to get rid of blackheads or microcysts by wanting to pierce or remove them. This risks damaging the skin, leaving sometimes irreversible scars. Worse still, lesions can increase inflammation.
👉🏾 To find out how to treat spots left by pierced pimples, see our article " Pierced pimples on black skin: how to reduce hyperpigmentation? "
What are the steps to follow to get rid of pimples?
To prevent the formation of comedones or treat pimples already on the face, we offer a unique ritual at Nubiance which begins with a deep cleansing of the face and ends with the application of appropriate care.
Morning and evening, remove make-up from your face with our high-tolerance Micelliance micellar water using a cotton ball. Then get rid of all impurities with our Cleanactyl Cleansing Gel . To do this, simply moisten your face, apply the gel and perform circular movements. Then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Once or twice a week, depending on the nature of your skin, we recommend that you gently massage your face with Exfoclear, our exfoliant based on AHA acids . This 2-in-1 exfoliator allows you to control the power of the exfoliation while deeply unclogging your pores, which promotes cell renewal.
Finally, apply our Act-5 anti-blemish care to perfectly cleansed skin to regulate sebum production, prevent the formation of pimples and fade the spots left by these blackheads and whiteheads.
