Ella James is an aspiring author who is pursuing Health Services Administration degree from St. Petersburg College. She is an active contributor to Consumer Health Digest, which is a leading Health News. In recent years, she had the opportunity to review Luminique. Get connected with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Guest Post by Ella James for Anna Susanne * The Travelling Pixie

Off all forms of acne and blemishes, blackheads are often considered the most annoying. Difficult to remove, long-lasting, and often very obvious, blackheads can be a pain. A form of acne in which a pore is clogged, blackheads are technically comedones- raised bumps in the skin. They appear dark because the impurities forming the clog react with the air when they break through the surface of the skin.

These hard bumps should not be popped since that can spread bacteria. Physically removing them is also risky, though, because that can leave scarring. Skincare science suggests that the best way to remove blackheads is using chemical agents.

Tea tree oil, for example, is a naturally occurring chemical agent. It is safe for use on the skin and is not bad for the body. This agent disinfects blackheads and the surrounding skin. At the same time, this oil is excellent at breaking up clogs like the comedones formed to create blackheads.

To remove blackheads using tea tree oil, you can apply the agent:

1. Undiluted and Dabbed On

Although tea tree oil is a very powerful substance, you can apply it directly to your skin and your blackheads safely. Many people do so by dipping a cotton swab or another applicator into the oil. The applicator is then gently wiped over acne and blemishes. Just don’t press hard when dabbing tea tree oil on because skincare science suggests that this can spread bacteria beneath the skin’s surface, making the issue worse.

2. Mixed Into a Homemade Spot Treatment

Since tea tree oil is very strong, it has been known to irritate the skin in some cases. Further, tea tree oil can dry out the skin, which may remove acne but lead to itchiness and cracked skin instead. Often these issue aren’t due to the use of the tea tree oil itself, but because of the concentration used. Dilute tea tree oil to make a gentler, safer spot treatment for your acne.

You can dilute tea tree oil by mixing it with other skin soothing, skin hydrating, and acne healing ingredients. For example, many people mix tea tree oil with ingredients like:

• Coconut oil
• Milk
• Honey
• Aloe Vera
• Tomato
• Potato
• Egg White
• Oatmeal

Since all of these ingredients work powerfully on their own to help the skin heal, become healthier, and grow soft and smooth, it is best to be careful with your ratio. Use plenty of any of these ingredients and just a drop or two of the tea tree oil mixed in. Just those couple of drops will make a big enough difference.

3. Included in a Face Mask

Blackheads can be quite sizable, reaching deep into the pores. The deeper that tea tree oil penetrates the skin, the more effective its function will be. In order to help this essential oil do its best (and deepest) work, add it into your favorite face mask recipe.

Face masks can work wonders on hard to fight acne like blackheads because they work over a period of several minutes. Masks are typically applied to the skin on the face or the body after the pores have been steamed. With the pores recently opened up by the steam, the ingredients from the mask can really reach into the skin deeply. Typically, masks are left on for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

With all that time sit and rest on the skin, the ingredients in a facial mask have time to sink deeply into the skin and do their best work. The mask is then removed. Sometimes, blackheads come right off with it.

 

4. Along With Your Moisturizer

One of the risks of using tea tree oil (despite its effectiveness) is that it can dry out the skin so easily. It’s ability to dry out the skin is of course related to why it so effectively breaks up blackheads and removes the impurities from the skin. To use the powerful agent intelligently, counteract the risks from the start. Use it along with your moisturizer. It is safe for use on the skin all over your body, after all.

In fact, you can even add a couple of drops of tea tree oil directly into your moisturizer. Then, as you moisturize your skin, tea tree oil will also be working to disinfect the skin and break up clogs in pores. At the same time, the essential oil will reduce inflammation.

5. Diluted in Your Facial Rinse
   

Another great way to use tea tree oil to address blackheads gently is to dilute it in water. When you take a bath, add a few drops to the water. If you are rinsing over a sink, fill a tub of water to splash from and add a few drops of the oil into it. The effect may not be as quick due to the dilution, but that tea tree oil will work steadily and stealthily on your behalf to remove those blackheads thoroughly.

Expert Advice: How to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

Via: https://youtu.be/X4LnjEbAQ6A