Pores are present throughout the body and the face has a greater concentration of them. The blackheads which form on the skin are the sign of blocked skin pores. Enlarged pores on the face are quite visible and also easily become blocked. The blockage that occurs is due to the formation of plugs consisting of oil, dead skin cells and bacteria. The sebaceous or oil glands of the body produce an increased amount of oil due to hormonal fluctuations.
Conditions such as puberty and pregnancy cause an increase in the level of male hormones called androgens. This leads to an overproduction of oil by the oil glands. The oil combines with dead skin cells and bacteria and gets trapped in the pores of the skin thereby forming whiteheads. When the top of the plus becomes exposed to the atmosphere it turns dark and results in blackheads. To prevent these from occurring, the skin must be kept clean at all times.
Excessive cleansing of the skin especially with the use of harsh soaps can strip the natural oil away from the skin, causing the oil glands to go into over production to compensate for it. This will lead to the clogging of the pores.
Cosmetics and skin care products that are synthetic will clog into the pores and attract dirt and bacteria. When the blackheads become infected, it turns into a pimple. If the pimples spread it could result in a full scale acne break out. The pores begin to enlarge when they become clogged, and as such become more noticeable.
To keep the skin and the pores clean, it is a good idea to exfoliate the skin using a natural scrub such as one made from apricots or almonds. This will serve to get rid of the dead skin cells and bacteria. Use natural products that are easy on the skin. Tea tree oil is also very effective in removing blackheads and preventing further infection from taking place. You can dab the clogged pores with tea tree oil using a cotton swab. Steam is an excellent way to unblock the pores. Hold your face over a pan of hot water and by draping a towel around the head allow the steam to penetrate your pores. Chamomile also serves as an effective facial cleanser and can be used either dried or in the form of tea to clean the pores. A paste of baking soda and water can also be applied to the clogged pores. This will help to absorb excess oil from the skin.