Research-backed
Shahnaz Husain is well known for her popularisation of India’s herbal heritage, providing all natural remedies and beauty products for decades (1). She has addressed a plethora of topics and getting rid of blackheads during pregnancy is one of them. Before getting to what she has to say, let us explore what blackheads are and what causes them, especially during pregnancy.
People always compliment pregnant women on their glowing skin. While it is true that their skin can acquire a radiant tinge, it could be a problem for other women. Regardless of which direction their skin goes, it is caused by hormonal changes. Nutritional deficiencies are also reflected on the skin by causing it to become pale or sallow.
Oily skin is particularly susceptible to acne and blackheads. It tends to attract a lot of dirt from the environment and may require deep pore cleansing to keep it free of blackheads. You ought to keep your pores free from your skin’s natural oil, hardened sebum, in order to prevent acne.
Blackheads During Pregnancy
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A primary acne lesion is known as a blackhead. Oil collects in the pore of the skin and hardens into a plug. Skin pores are open, so this hardened plug is exposed to the air where it gets oxidized. This turns black, leading to the name blackhead (2).
Here’s what Shahnaz Husain has to say about dealing with blackheads during pregnancy:
- Washing your face is essential. Usually, once in the morning and once at night is sufficient. Use a face wash with all natural ingredients. Look out for something that has neem, sandalwood, tulsi, etc.
- Use lukewarm water to wash. Use a rose-based skin tonic to wipe the blackheads. Cucumber juice can be applied too.
- After your morning face wash, make a paste out of baking soda and water and apply it to the oily parts of your skin. Wash it off after five minutes or so.
- While it is true that astringents help in shrinking blackheads and reducing oily skin, since you are pregnant, you are better off using something natural.
- Use a facial scrub every alternate day. Apply it to the blackhead prone areas using a circular motion and rub it off after a few minutes, finishing up with a face wash.
Facial scrubs are ubiquitous on the market these days. However, you might want to make your own, keeping to the mantra of using only all natural ingredients. Here are a few methods that Shahnaz suggests for preparing scrubs for blackheads at home.
Making Your Own Facial Scrub
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Mix rosewater and rice powder. Voila! You have the easiest facial scrub recipe.
An even simpler method is to use egg whites on blackheads twice a week. After applying, it will dry, which you will then need to moisten with water after a few minutes before eventually washing it off.
You can make a concoction consisting of one teaspoon each of the following ingredients: oats, ground almonds, curd, honey, egg white, and wheat bran. Ensure that the resulting paste does not drip. Apply to the necessary areas and wash it off after half an hour.
If you find that your skin is continually plagued with blackheads, you might want to consider visiting a beauty salon for a cleanup treatment. There, they will cleanse and exfoliate your skin as well as extract any blackheads you haven’t managed to get rid of. Blackhead extraction is a professional’s job so you might want to avoid trying to do it yourself. Pinching them with nails will only lead to infection and other skin problems. Make sure you are rigid about regular skin care.
