Whiteheads have been resistant to conventional acne treatment, but recently, topical therapy using vitamin-A derivatives like Retin-A has been successful in both shrinking enlarged pores and fostering cell regeneration.
As sited by Sally Wadyka in the New York Times article, "The Thing About Retin-A: It Works ", there are some exciting and effective treatment options using Retin-A for stubborn skin conditions like persistent whiteheads. This is good news, because trying to get rid of whiteheads by squeezing them is a poor idea. The pressure required to expel the whitehead can easily cause permanent damage to the skin, creating either an enlarged pore or a scar.
Vitamin A increases the production of skin cells, which helps to keep pores clear by preventing blockages from forming. Treatment usually lasts up to eight weeks and involves the regular application of an ointment to the affected area.
What are Whiteheads?
Your skin is the most hard-working organ in your body. It helps control body temperature, eliminate waste, and keep bacteria out of your system. It goes through a perpetual cycle of creating new cells and sloughing off old ones, and is kept lubricated with oil from ducts just below the skin’s surface.
Whiteheads are clogged pores in which the surface of the skin has not broken. Lack of exposure to the air helps create an environment in which the oil trapped in the pore can become dense and almost wax-like. Whiteheads can be difficult to deal with because the oily material inside the pore is so concentrated.
Whiteheads look like small bumps on the surface of the skin, and are common around the nose, and on the chin and cheeks. Heredity and medication can contribute to the formation of whiteheads, but science doesn’t know why some people are more prone to them than others.
Side Effects of Retin A
There are side effects to vitamin-A related treatment that cause problems for some users. The treated area can feel sensitive to the touch, and skin flaking is also common. You can minimize any side effects with the use of a good moisturizer twice a day. Deal with flaking – and it may be substantial – by carrying high-quality glycerin soap with you and gently exfoliating the dead skin as needed. Whenever you wash your face, finish off with a moisturizer.
Skin Does Clear Up
Skin problems like whiteheads are usually temporary. The internal processes that start at puberty and cause many skin ailments last for about three to five years, and whiteheads that occur in some people after adulthood are usually short-lived. The symptoms can be disruptive and embarrassing, but in recent years, new drug therapies using vitamin A have been successful in limiting the duration and intensity of outbreaks.
If you want to go the natural route, there are still some useful remedies for blemishes that can be inexpensive and easy to use. Although they don't offer as dramatic a result as Retin-A, and are of less benefit for treatment resistant skin conditions like whiteheads, with some experimentation they can gradually improve the appearance of your skin and contribute to your overall well-being.
