November 11, 2021
Blemishes on the face - How they arise and what you can do about them
by Mara Hageneier
You are miles away from puberty and yet you keep discovering one or more nasty surprises in the mirror? Do you envy your friends' clear skin, while your skin drives you to despair? Your life is already a bit turbulent and now you're annoyed by a bright red spot in the middle of your face? Be kind to your skin - the little pimple party isn't actually trying to annoy you. Because there are very logical explanations and reasons for this skin condition, which you usually can't do anything about. I would like to help you and explain the topic of blemishes to you a little more. This won't make you welcome your unwelcome companions straight away, but maybe I can help you understand them.
- How do blackheads, pimples, etc. arise?
- What causes pimples and blackheads?
- The right skin care for impurities
- Which ingredients and which products help with pimples and blemishes?
- Tips – Do's & Dont's for the care of impure skin
1. How do blackheads, pimples, etc. arise?
For this chapter, I advise you to sharpen your scientific eye and put emotions aside. If we look at our skin from a rational perspective, we may even be able to understand its behavior a little.
A blackhead occurs when the glands produce excessive amounts of sebum, known in technical terms as seborrhoea. At the same time, an increased growth of horny cells in the duct of the sebaceous glands leads to the blockage of the sebaceous gland follicle. A plug forms that closes the exit of the duct. Dirt or makeup residue can also block the pores. A closed comedo, the so-called white blackhead, has formed. As soon as the skin tears at the closed white blackhead, air gets to the accumulated sebum. The stored skin pigment melanin reacts with the oxygen in the air and turns the plug dark - this is how the typical appearance of blackheads occurs.
The dead skin lipids provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which then settle there and lead to an infection. The body's own defense system defends itself against the foreign inhabitants and sets inflammatory processes in motion. The decomposition of the sebum also leads to the formation of free fatty acids, which promote the inflammatory process. If the blackheads lead to skin inflammation, this is referred to as a pimple. A pus pocket often forms at the tip and visible redness decorates the skin.
Normal pimples usually only appear sporadically and disappear after a while. Acne, on the other hand, is more serious and usually persists over a long period of time. The follicle wall breaks open, releasing lipids, fatty acids, horny cells, bacteria and cell fragments. These cause extensive, deep and painful inflammation in the surrounding tissue, which can end up as abscesses with the formation of nodules.
2. What are the causes of pimples and blackheads?
Good to know, but why exactly does your skin do this? If your skin is showing its stressed side through blackheads, pimples and acne, this can be due to various factors. Usually, a combination of personal predisposition and a change in hormone levels leads to impure skin.
During puberty in particular, the body is going through a hormonal transition phase. Both boys and girls produce increased levels of testosterone - the androgenic male sex hormone. Among other things, the hormone stimulates sebum production, which causes increased secretion of skin fats. These give the skin a greasy, oily and shiny sheen.
Hormones also influence the appearance of our skin during the female cycle. In the second half of the cycle, the corpus luteum hormone progesterone, which has an androgenic effect, increases. At the same time, the proportion of estrogens, which normally slow down sebum production, decreases. The graphic shows you how best to care for your skin during the cycle.
The drop in estrogen levels during menopause is also noticeable in the skin. The skin becomes less elastic and is prone to blemishes or pimples.
Twin studies have also shown that hereditary factors play a role. It has been shown that acne patients have an increased sensitivity to androgens, which promote excessive sebum production.
Diet is also said to have an influence on acne. We have already mentioned several times that your intestines are very closely connected to your skin. If they are healthy, you can see this in the form of clear and radiant skin. In order not to put unnecessary strain on your intestines, you should avoid certain foods that are not good for your skin. Foods that contain a lot of preservatives and sugar can be the cause of pimples. Fresh, unprocessed ingredients that contain vitamins and counteract possible inflammation are better. You can also strengthen your intestines with fiber, such as linseed. Unnoticed intolerances to foods or certain cosmetic products can also lead to blemishes and inflammation. These can range from small pimples to acne-like flare-ups. Omitting certain ingredients can help identify the triggers. If you suspect a food intolerance, I recommend that you keep a food diary and have your doctor test you for possible allergies. The climate and other environmental factors are also suspected of causing blemished skin.
Although the influence of psychological factors on the appearance of the skin has not been proven, stress is often observed as a trigger for pimples. The formation of pimples is then probably due to a lack of skin care and hygiene or an unconscious diet during stressful everyday life.
However, the psychological aspect is not entirely unimportant in the course of the disease. Like many other skin diseases, impure skin causes a great deal of psychological suffering and can have a huge impact on the quality of life of those affected.
Admittedly, after reading these lines, you may not find the topic particularly sympathetic . And that is unlikely to change - but it doesn't have to. However, you should still deal with your impure skin skillfully and treat it with respect. If you know what triggers your skin, you can consciously avoid it. In the next few lines, you will read how to deal with pimples and blackheads if they do occur.
3. The right skin care for impure skin?
If you suffer from spots, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the blemishes. At the same time, however, the wrong care leads to additional irritation and can make your skin look worse. Washing too often does not usually improve the condition of your skin. This is quite logical, because blemished skin or acne are not a lack of personal hygiene. Quite the opposite - constant washing can damage the skin's protective acid mantle and make it even more susceptible to spots and the like. To ensure that you have clear skin in the long term, you should develop your own care routine.
Step 1:
Targeted, regular and gentle cleansing is important and fundamental. Anything that accumulates on your face during the day should not go to bed with you. Make-up, dirt and excess skin secretions that remain on your face can clog your pores and cause inflammation. Especially at night, your skin longs for breathable, free pores. Facial cleansing should be pH-neutral and contain no alcohol, perfume or fragrances. Mild surfactants combined with plant-based moisturizers cleanse the skin gently and thoroughly without drying it out. I recommend our cleansing oil or cleansing gel .
Step 2:
Once or twice a week, you should incorporate a peeling into your skincare routine after cleansing your face. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) remove dead skin cells and thus enable better sebum drainage. Beta hydroxy acids (BHA), on the other hand, penetrate deep into the pores, clean them and thus have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Step 3:
To clarify your skin and cleanse your pores with an additional step, spray 2-3 pumps of the zinc facial toner onto your dried skin. You should skip this step on the evenings when you use BHA or AHA peeling. The facial toner has an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and sebum-regulating effect. The trifactor for impure, inflamed skin to promote the healing process and reduce the formation of new inflammation sites.
Step 4:
To bring your skin back into balance, you should definitely apply a regenerating serum after cleansing your face or after exfoliating. Niacinamide , a little miracle cure for blemished skin, has a calming effect and strengthens the skin barrier. Here, too, you should leave it out on the evenings when you use a BHA or AHA peeling. You can then use it again in the morning without any problems. Retinal as an ingredient could become one of your best friends, because it regulates the keratinization of the skin and ensures a smooth complexion. You can use the niacinamide serum in the morning and the retinal serum in the evening. During the day, adequate sun protection is an absolute must. You should also not use retinal if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Step 5:
To protect your skin from drying out, you should round off your care routine with a moisturizer. When it comes to moisture, almost nothing can compete with hyaluronic acid. It not only forms a moisturizing film on the surface of the skin, but also stores moisture deep in the skin's connective tissue. With our hyaluronic creams, your skin gets rich moisture that is not greasy.
But you should be patient. Many things only show visible effects after weeks of regular use. Often, one active ingredient or product is not enough to improve your skin's appearance in the long term.Toothpaste, tea tree oil and herbal decoctions - well-intentioned tips are just pouring in and everyone has THE unbeatable home remedy for you. However, if you start experimenting with all kinds of plants, teas and other things, you run the risk of completely overwhelming your skin. Instead of a smooth complexion, your skin will become increasingly irritated. It's better to make sure you have a consistent skincare routine. This way, your skin can slowly get used to the ingredients and benefit from them in the long term.
4. Which ingredients and which products help with pimples and blemishes?
Cleansing gel – What do sugar, acids and fats do?
Time to talk about the effect of the ingredients in our cleansing gel. Our new gel contains: sugar beet extract, aloe vera, lactic and tartaric acid, vegetable surfactants, chamomile flower extract.
Sugar in cosmetics? It doesn't have a good reputation and is even said to cause impure skin. When it comes to nutrition, sugar is definitely doable. In the form of surfactants, however, sugar is now known for its good job. Sugar surfactants are particularly well tolerated and are therefore also suitable for sensitive skin. Sugar beets also contain a natural fruit acid, glycolic acid. It is an alpha hydroxy acid and, due to its small molecular size, penetrates deep into the epidermis. It removes dead skin cells and clears clogged pores. Acemannan from aloe vera also belongs to the group of substances known as "sugar cubes". Until puberty, our bodies even produce this active ingredient themselves. It not only strengthens our immune system, but is also an important basis for our skin's vascular walls. This is not the only reason why our skin is happy about an extra portion of aloe vera. The anti-inflammatory, soothing and moisturizing properties help against pimples, eczema and stressed skin.
The breakdown of sugar also provides us with an effective nourishing substance. Lactic acid may sound like an aggressive substance, but it is a real all-rounder for our skin. As a mild peeling, it dissolves calluses on the upper layer of the skin and frees the pores of impurities. It is also one of the so-called natural moisturizing factors and thus occurs naturally on our outer layer of skin. Lactic acid binds and stores water and protects us from drying out. As a component of the natural acid mantle, the acid supports and regulates the pH value of our skin. Our skin barrier protects us from bacteria, fungi, environmental influences and harmful microorganisms. As soon as the active ingredient has been absorbed by our cells, it stimulates the body's own production of ceramides and collagen. Damaged cells are repaired and can recover quickly. Our skin is now cleansed and moisturized; all that is missing is a protective coat to strengthen our skin in the long term. The natural skin barrier consists of dead skin cells that are bound together by a mixture of fats and water. Ceramides make up 60% of the fats in this so-called horny layer. For this reason, they are constantly being produced in the lowest layers of the epidermis. If we support our skin with natural ceramides from the outside, the skin's barrier function is strengthened. We lose less moisture and at the same time prevent irritants and bacteria from penetrating. And salts also clear our clogged pores, have an antibacterial effect and provide intensive moisture.
Our skin doesn't make it easy for us with all its needs. Once it's out of balance, it wants support from all sides. It's pretty demanding, but if you give it a thorough daily cleansing, it won't put so many obstacles in your way.
Pimple paste – What do zinc, vitamin E and co. do?
And now to our pimple paste – why the ingredients here also offer us a lot of good and, above all, targeted effects is mainly due to these main active ingredients: zinc oxide, vitamin E, castor oil, bentonite, vegetable oils.
Your skin is actually free of all dirt and sebum, but a pimple has still found its way to the surface? Time for intensive care – the pimple paste.
As a trace element, zinc is an important factor in numerous metabolic processes. Over 300 enzymes, our biological machines, contain zinc or are activated by zinc. It is involved in, among other things, a successful immune system, numerous nerve functions and the hormonal system.
By blocking specific metabolic pathways, zinc inhibits sebum production and can support wound healing as an immune booster. It is therefore hardly surprising that a zinc deficiency can lead to skin problems. Around 17% of the world's population suffers from a zinc deficiency, and it has been proven that this mainly affects patients with acne vulgaris and atopic dermatitis. An undersupply leaves its mark in the form of inflammation, pimples and impaired wound healing. In a study with 332 acne patients, French scientists at the University Hospital in Nantes observed that taking 30 mg of zinc per day reduced inflammatory pustules by up to 50 percent. The effect of zinc on the skin can be used not only internally, however. The antibacterial and antiseptic effect effectively combats pimples. Zinc also binds moisture and thus deprives bacteria of the breeding ground they normally need to multiply and promote skin blemishes.
You can find vitamin E in almost all natural cosmetic skin care products. And not without reason, because vitamin E or tocopherol is a real all-rounder. Vitamin E is suitable as a natural preservative and ensures that your care product has a long shelf life. But much more importantly: vitamin E also preserves your skin. It has an antioxidant effect, promotes cell division, stabilizes structural proteins such as collagen, keratin and elastin and improves skin moisture. It also relieves inflammation and is therefore particularly suitable for blemished skin.
Vitamin E occurs naturally in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. There it protects the sensitive fatty acids from damage caused by atmospheric oxygen and light. Both coconut oil and sunflower seed oil benefit from the antioxidant effect and are therefore an excellent source of the miracle vitamin. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties are also provided by the fatty acids they contain, such as lauric acid and linoleic acid. Castor oil helps fight pimples, stimulates the production of collagen and thus ensures healthy skin protection. Blue chamomile oil can also boast the same properties. Bisabolol, the main active ingredient in real/blue chamomile, gives the oil its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant and regenerative properties. Other ingredients are also said to have a positive effect on the nervous system and give the oil a calming and relaxing character that can soothe stressed skin.
Another player, however, takes care of removing the bacteria that cause inflammation. Bentonite, a mineral clay formed from volcanic ash, binds pollutants and bacteria in its mineral structure and thus frees our pores from unwanted dirt.
That sounds like a real all-round carefree package. It is, and that's how it should be. If you already have impure skin, you shouldn't be punished with complicated care.
5. Tips – Do's & Dont's for the care of impure skin
That was a lot of attention for these little things. And even if they don't quite deserve it in your eyes, the little extra care is worth it. If you've lost track, here's a quick rundown of all the do's and don'ts at a glance:DOS
Clean it!You should definitely not skip daily facial cleansing. Even if you have to rush in the morning or it got a little late in the evening, your cleared pores will thank you. Make sure you wash and rinse your towel or sponge thoroughly. They provide the perfect environment for bacteria to spread quickly.
Take the right one!Not all skin is the same, but everyone is grateful for alcohol-free, oil-free, pH-neutral and mild care. Impure skin in particular tends to react particularly sensitively to certain ingredients and punishes with redness, blackheads and pimples.
Eat yourself beautiful!While fatty or sugary foods clog your pores and lead to blemishes, fresh foods provide you with plenty of vitamins for beautiful, smooth skin. Even if it's difficult to give up at first, avoiding pimples is definitely worth it.
No Stress & RelaxIf we are under pressure and tension, our body releases stress hormones. These can also lead to impure skin and trigger pimples. So pamper yourself and your skin as much as you can with a break or two. If you can relax, your skin will soon calm down too.
DON’Ts
Do not pushEven if it's very difficult and your fingers itch, you should definitely avoid squeezing pimples and blackheads. This will encourage inflammation and your skin will respond with twice the amount of redness. If you let them heal in peace, they will go away just as quickly and you will prevent scarring.
Get rid of the bacteriaOur hands are THE magnet for bacteria and viruses. Almost everything that comes into contact with us first passes over our hands. And all kinds of bacteria and dirt particles end up on our faces. Washing your hands regularly is just as important as not constantly touching your face. Studies have also shown that there are more bacteria on our smartphones than on any other object. The next time you make a phone call, they end up right on our faces. So you should also clean and disinfect your face regularly.
Less is more!Skin imperfections naturally tempt you to wear a thick layer of make-up. If you close your pores with concealer etc., the sebum cannot drain away and the next pimple is on its way. Even if it is difficult for you to go out in public, there is no reason to hide. And if you do have to wear a little make-up, only use what is necessary and don't forget to take it off.
Of course, life would be much easier if you didn't have to constantly fight against pimples, blackheads and pustules. Unfortunately, pimples cannot simply be magically removed and do not disappear overnight. The reassuring news: at least 80% of people suffer from impure skin and many can only dream of having smooth skin. Clear skin is the result of many factors and even if you have a predisposition to impure skin, you can influence your skin's appearance to a certain extent. You don't have to go to the doctor every time you get a pimple. However, if blackheads and pimples are widespread and persist for a long time, I definitely recommend that you see a doctor. If proper cleansing and care are not enough, your skin may need intensive treatment against acne.
Enough of pimples, blackheads, etc. – you can now close your scientific eye again and banish your angry emotions from your emotional world. Stay relaxed, don't hide and be the active part of having clear skin.