Whiteheads form when sebum secreted by sebaceous glands gets mixed with dead skin cells, and hair and form a plug that blocks your skin pores. Bacterias which lives over the epidermal layer of your skin gets attracted towards the clogged pore and starts to multiply.
The presence of bacterias draws your body’s immune cells to the spot, resulting in inflammation. The affected or enlarged hair follicle gets trapped under the skin’s surface. The bumpy protrusion that results is what we called as whiteheads.
How to get rid of whiteheads?
While trying out these home remedies, it is necessary you take appropriate care for your skin and prevent exposure to direct sunlight as much as possible. If at all you have to you are needed to travel or commute under direct sunlight, use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to prevent damage.
Baking soda
Baking soda can effectively neutralize the pH of your skin and regulates the sebum secretion. These properties of baking soda will help to clear out the clogged pores and reduce whiteheads.
Mix two or three teaspoons of baking soda with water and make it into a fine paste. Apply this paste all over your face or to the affected areas of your skin. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off using lukewarm water.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste has a drying property on the whiteheads. Make sure you are not using a gel type paste. Once the whiteheads dry up, it gets easily washed out with water.
spread a thin layer of toothpaste over whiteheads and leave it on for about an hour before washing it off using lukewarm water.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature. Its acidic property will help to dry out the whiteheads and also clear off the bacterias infesting the pores.
Make a paste out of three teaspoons of cornstarch with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. You can add a little water if needed. Lather this paste over the affected areas of your skin and leave it off for 15 minutes.
Wash the area with clean warm water after 15 minutes and pat dry using a dry towel.
Coconut oil
Although it might seem like a bad idea to apply coconut oil over your whiteheads. But, coconut oil is a natural cleanser and moisturizer which helps to clear out the clogged pores on your skin.
Apply one or two teaspoons of coconut oil over the affected skin surface and leave it on overnight. Wash your face the following morning using warm water.
Rose water with lemon juice
This is an ancient folk remedy to treat the condition. Lemon with its acidic property gives your skin the needed cleanse and rose water at the other end helps to clear out the clogged pores. It is believed the mixture of rose water and lemon juice somehow neutralizes the skin’s pH and regulates its sebum secretion.
Mix together freshly extracted lemon juice with rose water in equal quantities. Apply this mixture over the affected surface of your skin and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before washing it off using warm water.
Oatmeal scrub
Oatmeal is a really effective facial mask. It is used in many skin facials to give your skin the glow it deserves. It is believed oatmeal somehow cleanses your skin pores and make the whiteheads disappear.
Make a nice consistent paste of oatmeal powder with rosewater. Spread this paste over the affected areas and leave it on for about 20 minutes before washing it off using water.
You can also combine olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, and milk to this scrub (optional)
Sugar Scrub
Rough surfaces on sugar crystals will help to gently scrub off the dead skin called accumulated in whiteheads. The scrubbing action helps to increase blood circulation and improves skin texture.
Mix tougher 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey, and a teaspoon of lemon juice and make it into a paste consistency.
Use this paste to scrub your face in circular motions for about 5 minutes. After scrubbing wash your wash with warm water.
Turmeric
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric help a lot to get rid of whiteheads quickly.
Make a paste out of pure organic turmeric powder using water or honey. Lather a thin layer of this paste over your whiteheads and leave it on for about 20 minutes before washing it off using cool water.
Egg white
The protein present in egg whites will tighten up the pores on your skin, which helps to heal the whiteheads.
Beat the egg white till it becomes frothy and a little honey to it and mix it well.
Apply this mask on your face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before washing it off using warm water.
Green tea bags
Green tea helps to open up your pores, and its antimicrobial property will help to get rid of bacterias infesting the area and clears out whiteheads. It is also believed to be effective against soothing the free radical damage suffered by your skin.
Place warm green tea bags over the whiteheads for 10 to 10 minutes. And wash off your face after with warm water.
Garlic
Garlic is well known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. This will help to get rid of bacteria infestation and unclog the pores, effectively dislodging the whiteheads.
Crush two to three garlic cloves and place it in two or three tablespoons of water and leave the water aside for 30 minutes.
Apply this water over the affected areas of your skin and leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes wipe the area clean using a cotton ball dipped in rosewater.
Potato juice
Potato juice is not only an effective remedy to cure your acne, but it is also very effective against whiteheads. This is due to its antimicrobial and pore shrinking property that helps to get rid of your whiteheads.
Squeeze out the juice from freshly grated potato and apply this juice over the affected areas of your skin. Leave it off for 10 to 12 minutes before washing it off using warm water.
Lime juice
The citric acid present in the lime juice will open up the pores and destroys the skin-damaging bacterias infecting the pores. This helps to clear out the whiteheads and exfoliate your skin.
Apply some freshly extracted lime juice all over your face and leave it on for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes wash it off using warm water and pat the face dry using a clean cotton towel.
Tomato juice
Tomato juice has antiseptic, antioxidant, and astringent properties. All of these will help to clear out your skin pores of bacterias, impurities, and whiteheads. Additionally, tomato juice is acidic in nature which greatly helps to dislodge the whiteheads in no time.
Cut a fresh tomato and rub it all over your face till the juice from the tomato settles all over your skin. Let the juice dry up for about 10 minutes and wash it off using warm water.
