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Eat plenty of fresh fruits and raw green vegetables. Also drink a lot of water, twelve to fifteen glasses a day. This combination detoxifies the body, rids it of impurities and cleans the skin. Regular exercise and fresh air will also create better circulation to the skin’s surface, which will boost both the healing and bacteria-fighting processes of the skin.
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If you have oily skin, you may be familiar with those annoying blackheads that pop up on the face, especially on the nose. These are a result of overproduction of oil from the sebaceous glands which then clog pores, trapping dirt, dead cells along the way. In order to get rid of them in the right way, it is essential to know why we have them and what can be done about them. Dr Dinyar Workingboxwalla, who is responsible for the gorgeous-looking skins of Jacqueline Fernandez and Lara Dutta, shares some tips and tricks to beat the occurrence of blackheads in his book ‘Beauty Unleashed: A Comprehensive Guide To Getting Perfect Skin And Hair’. Here is an excerpt.
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Scarring, redness and blotchiness can result if you are not in the hands of the right therapist. A well-trained aesthetician in this field will be less likely to cause damage to the skin. Most salons use steaming machines to aid in the extracting process. Some recommend the use of vacuum tubes. However, this method—which involves a sucking action—is not very effective. It has very superfluous cosmetic effect as what is removed is mainly dead skin cells and dirt. In the case of sensitive skin, even this may cause redness.
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A host of cleansers, scrubs and exfoliating creams are available in the market, but according to most dermatologists, they are ineffective, despite what companies claim. They only remove surface oils, dirt, dead cells and some make-up; they don’t do a more thorough cleansing. This is perhaps the real reason why professional bi-monthly facials and clean-ups are still necessary.
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This thorough, deep-cleansing method is highly beneficial. It cleanses the skin of all its surface dirt, stimulates circulation and unclogs blocked pores. It also removes toxins from the body in the form of sweat. I strongly recommend this method twice a week for very oily skin; otherwise, a regular weekly clean-up should suffice. Steaming can be made more beneficial through the use of various herbs like chamomile and comfrey, or aromatherapy oils like lavender, tea tree, rosemary, patchouli, geranium, etc. Blackheads will naturally be loosened after being exposed to steam, then extraction becomes easy. However, one should be cautious when extracting them. Always use a fresh piece of tissue when squeezing out each blackhead. Dab on a pore minimiser afterwards and apply a suitable mask. (Read: Simple tips to manage oily skin )
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A natural and easy way to remove blackheads is with tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and potassium, and are thus good for open pores, greasy skin and blackheads. Mash a ripe tomato and strain through a sieve. Mix the pulp with some oatmeal and yoghurt and you have a salmon-coloured light toning mask. Apply for five to seven minutes on the face and wash off. The acid in the tomato cleanses the skin and keeps it free from clogged pores. (Read: Fruit packs for oily skin )
