Whiteheads are small bumps that are white at the tip and are filled with pus. Whiteheads most commonly form on the face, upper arms, upper back, chest, and neck but can be found on other areas of the body as well. Whiteheads form when excess oil, medically described as sebum, is secreted from the sebaceous glands and clog the pores or hair follicles of the skin. Bacteria and dirt in the air mix with the oils, causing pressure to build along the pore walls and eventually rupture – Creating whiteheads and pimples to form. Whiteheads are very different than blackheads though. Whiteheads turn into blackheads if they are not treated properly and are picked at or popped open, causing air to get into the pores, turning them dark in color.
If you must pop a whitehead because the pus is causing a lot of attention on your face…
Make sure to wash your hands with an antibacterial soap beforehand and cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser as well. Use a sterile needle that can be sterilized with a bit of rubbing alcohol then gently puncture the center of the whitehead with the needle. Then, ever so gently, lightly squeeze the pus out without breaking skin or blood to ooze out. For a few minutes, gently dab the area with a soft Kleenex to catch any excess clear liquid that may come out of the pimple so it does not seep into other areas of the skin. To avoid having the pimple become further infected, apply a topical cream that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to the area to dry out and destroy the pimple. It’s important to remember to cleanse, moisturize, and lastly apply an acne topical treatment to affected areas. Not moisturizing with an oil-free moisturizer will cause your skin to break out more and be an uncomfortable combination of dry and oily.
Tips on How to Prevent and Minimize Whitehead Breakouts
1. Gently cleanse your face, neck, back, and anywhere else you may have whiteheads 2-3 times a day. Use a gentle face cleanser for any affected areas –not regular bar soap! If your breakouts on your body are really bad, soak your body in a warm bath that includes Epsom salt. It will pull all impurities out of your pores.
2. Make an appointment with your local dermatologist. He or she may recommend a special medicated cleanser or topical treatment if they feel the need and depending on the severity of the breakout.
3. Do not pick at or pop whiteheads. Doing so will cause the whiteheads to spread to other areas of the body and will also cause the whiteheads to darken in color and become blackheads.
4. Use oil-free and non-comedogenic cosmetics and skin care products. Paraben-free and fragrance-free products are better to use as well to minimize inflamed and irritated skin.
5. Don’t wash your face or body more than 3 times a day because you can actually breakout more from over washing. Your body is in need of certain oils that could be stripped away if you over-cleanse. Cleansing your face only 2 times a day is recommended.
6. Avoid processed foods and foods high in fat, oils, or sugars. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and lean proteins.
7. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep your body hydrated. This will in turn, help keep your skin clear. Add fresh organic lemon slices to add more nutrients and flavor.
8. Don’t sleep on oily or dirty hair because these oils will get into your skin, clogging your pores and causing you to breakout more. It’s a good idea to also pull your hair up if you have long hair to avoid oil seeping into your skin.
9. Live a healthy lifestyle by working out regularly and avoid smoking and heavy drinking of alcohol. Good health is proven to do wonders for your skin!
10. Don’t go to tanning beds. They will initially dry your skin out, but overtime, will produce excess oil in your skin and cause more breakouts. It will also dramatically increase your chances of getting skin cancer at a young age – Even in your 20’s.
The kind of white heads I suffer from are the ones embedded in the skin without faces so I can’t get out the pus. These kinds of whiteheads annoy me because they leave my face rough whenever I run my hands over my face. I ve used so many products. Was sceptical when I was told about the seaweed face mask because all I have used never seem to work. Please follow me on twitter, so I can DM you some personal questions. @agirllikeher. How do I get rid of these kind of white heads?
try using ‘b.liv by cellnique – off with those heads’. i too had that kinda whiteheads and it was really frustrating because you can’t squeeze anything out nor does it seem to go away but you know it’s there everytime you wash your face or apply creams. anyway, i tried this product and it worked. mine disappeared in like a month after using it twice a day. its a blackhead sebum gel but it works on whiteheads too. i applied it all over my face though and it helped clear my skin. you can google about this product if you’re interested. just thought of sharing it with you since we have/had the same problem.
@zakannaka on twitter, got two queries
1.do povidone solution work on acne?
2.wish is the best treatment for black spots to fade away
i want to know how to reduce black spot on my face ?
i too had acne .i had white Heads on my nose .i poked some and they leaved red dots like scars then i used proactive.it has done miracle f me
@tyascipluk on Twitter
What treatment using peeling can remove whiteheads?
Hello….I got a problem on my arms but I don’t know what it is!it seems like white heads but its covered with a layer of skin…and a a thread shaped white thing comes out when I squeeze it. I had it since I was little.Please can you help me?
Use an exfoliant, make ur own using salt, baking soda, lemon and water use daily in shower.
Hey, sounds like Keratosis Pilaris to me 🙂 I have it too, don’t worry. Exfoliate, and salicylic acid will help. Make sure to moisturize after to smooth out the skin!
I’ve been using rice bran oil on my face which has been known to have firming properties (in addition to other beneficial properties), but since I’ve used it has helped to squeeze out all the whiteheads and gunk in my skin or bring it to the surface. Sometimes I check my skin and a whitehead is just hanging there so I wipe it away. You may want to give it a try.
I have black heads on my thighs I can get them out but they leave a scar , would u help me to remove them in a way that doesn’t leave a scar . .. ,
Try using a pore strip on it! You can also make your own ore strips with Elmer’s glue, or with unflavored gelatin. Just google it(: good luck!
how will i know if these are whiteheads? is whitehead the soap trapped in pores or the puss in the eye of an acne? hmmmmm
This really helped me a lot!! Amazing daily living tips!! Pls follow me on twitter if u can coz I want to DM some personal questions about acne’s , I’m from bahrain and no one knows anything about acne’s even our doctors , just take our money
Twitter : @aj_alameer
BB pin: 2830DAC9
“8. Don’t sleep on oily or dirty hair because these oils will get into your skin, clogging your pores and causing you to breakout more.”
Does this mean I have to wash my hair before I sleep?
No, just put it up in a ponytail or bun.
@p_mademoiselle on twitter
The product that has worked amazingly for me is Effaclar Duo from La Roche Posay. If I have any breakouts whatsoever, they are cleared in three days the latest. It has a combination of benzoyl peroxide which reduces acne inflammation and LHA which exfoliates the skin. I use it 2x a day and sometimes 3x a day, depending on the severity of my breakouts. It’s wonderful though–it keeps my skin clear and I have noticed a significant improvement on the texture of my skin. I get less blackheads and whiteheads than before, especially on the area of my nose/chin. AMAZING. Read about it on their website.
http://www.laroche-posay.us/_us/_en/consumer/catalog/Bytype/Oily/effaclar-duo.htm
PS: It doesn’t stain clothes/other fabric like regular benzoyl peroxide.
Hi,thanks for the tips they r very helpful,I’m a nigerian,i got blackheads in between my legs sometimes its so painful i can even walk. Pls what can i do.
Also i have dark spots on my face as a result of picking pimples. Pls how do i clear it off. Thanks
Hey, I’ve heard mineral oil will draw out the infection in deep white heads. Is this true? Because I have acne that is really deep and sore
Would like to know can whiteheads scar ya coz I’ve had these all over for. At least 3mnth and doctor don’t even know but by looking at the website I’d say they are whiteheads
Does doing a lot of sport help with acne, if so how?
I had 2/3 outburst when i took the acne treatment. Now its been 3 months i have sever breakouts. The doctor is asking to keep patience but i cant see my face filled with acne suddenly. It has left behind red/black scars and few of them yet have a bump effect on face. Please help me. Need to get rid of it desperately
I just popped a white head on my lip. It is still bleeding. It was a normal looking white head. what should I do?
(Also I am not into any of that gross sexual stuff so I KNOW its not a sexually transmitted disease :P)
i have these white tiny spots on my arms..im not really sure what is it but its kind of annoying cos i cant get rid of it…
Hi! I have these dry itchy whiteheads only on my lower part of my face, it’s like warts that’s spreading , but it’s white, it makes that part of my skin red, and itchy dry and a bit painful. Sometimes I don’t want to wash my face because it stings 🙁 I’m really really scared, how do I get rid of it, I hope there’s a natural way,
How do you tackle ingrown hairs?
Read this post–>> https://www.acneskinsite.com/skincare/treatment-ingrown-hairs-neck/
Hey i am having problem with whiteheads on my face and back of the head corner…i am using medicine related to this kinda acne since 4 years but all in vain…its like when i regularly take medicine 1 or 2 times a day. it goes perfectly fine but when i dont use medicine after a week whiteheads starts again… :((( please help me out…
Another good tip is to have a towel dedicated for your face only. This will eliminate any other germs and oils from used towels. Make sure you dry your hands first before you touch that towel. I’ve had great success with keeping acne down by just doing this.
I would recommend to anyone who wants better skin and less whiteheads, to just eat healthy. Eating enough fruits and vegetables can solve so many problems and disease in our life..
For example, you can take take lemon juice and put it on your face.
It will clean your face and make it much more bright and healthy.