Many people will stop me when they know what I do for a living to show me their various skin conditions. Just because I work with skin doesn't mean I can diagnose every skin ailment out there. Some conditions are a mystery and need to be examined by a dermatologist. But there are many common skin disorder that people are unfamiliar with but are easy to treat and prevent.
Over time, I'll try and explain many of these problems. The first and most common one I see is a blackhead.
Blackheads (open comedones) are a mass of keratinized cells and hardened sebum that plug a hair follicle. When the skin is not properly cleansed and/or there is an excess production of sebum the follicles get trapped with this dirt and debris. I see most blackhead on nose, but they can appear anywear.
To treat a blackhead, they must be removed. That's where a facial is a good idea. During a facial the esthetician performs extractions and properly squeezes the debris out of the hair follicle. Be very careful if you are extracting them yourself. you don't want to scar yourself by squeezing wrong.
To prevent blackheads, use a proper cleanser suitable for your skin and an exfoliator is a needed to slough off the excess sebum and debris that accumulates on the skin.
Milia, or whiteheads, is caused by an accumulation of dead keratinized cells and sebum trapped beneath the skin. Very similar to a blackhead, yet you cannot extract them as easily. When they are extracted though, the trapped matter feels like a grain of sand.
