A: These 2 conditions appears to be different, but they have a similar cause and the treatment is similar too. Both conditions are lumped together as acne.
Acne occurs when dead skin, oil and bacteria become trapped in the pores. Whitehead appears when the pores are not stretched and the pores closes over the obstruction. Therefore it is also called “closed comedone”. As for blackhead, it is called “opened comedone” as the obstructed pore remains open and the plug is exposed to the air and become oxidized and hence the brown or black colour.
In acne prone skin, as the root of the cause is obstruction of the pores, basic skin hygiene takes a very important role here. Cleanse your skin thoroughly twice a day (Important: Never overdo it by cleansing more than twice a day, though!) and use a mild skin exfoliator once or twice a week to remove trapped sebum and dead skin. Spot treatment cream will come in handy to combat acne break outs as one of the main components of acne is due to the bacteria. Sunscreen in the day time is also mandatory to prevent activation of the bacteria, increase in inflammation process, redness and post-acne dark discolouration by the UV rays.
Dr. Tan
