Blackheads are ugly eye sores. Looking in the morning mirror and closely examining those large pores filled with dirt and excess oil can drive one crazy. In order to remove them it’s important to take a moment to properly learn how to get rid of blackheads in a safe and effective way. After all, we all want beautiful, smooth clear skin, but being gentle will prevent any scarring or unnecessary damage. To understand how to properly get rid of blackheads, you must first realize that although blackheads are embarrassing to look at, these are merely clogged skin pores. Medically, they are defined as an ‘open comedone’ and are normally seen at the first stage of acne before it develops into skin inflammation and infection. When excessive oil accumulation occurs, the oils are oxidized causing the oil to become solid leading to blocked pores. When oils first start to accumulate it is called a whitehead. At the whitehead stage the pore is still closed. However, once the pore opens and the oils start to oxidize, they become blackheads. So, blackheads and whiteheads both consist of dead skin cells, oil and sebum but the difference lies in whether the pore is open or not.   There are two essential parts to blackhead removal: 1) Preventing blackheads 2) The physical removal of blackheads   Preventing Blackheads Preventing blackheads will require some habit changes. Making a permanent daily routine of proper skin care is required to keep blackheads away. First, wash your face twice a day, once when you wake up and once when you go to bed. If you aren’t doing this already, start this change today. Cleaning your face regularly will keep dirt and oil from excessive accumulation. When washing your face, use a cleanser or exfoliant with non-harsh chemicals. Using harsh chemicals may create more damage. Apply the cleanser to an exfoliating scrub and massage the skin where your blackheads occur in a gentle, circular motion. Do not scrub too hard as this can create damage. After rinsing, pat your face with a dry clean, fresh towel. Cleansers can act as a pore cleaner, but they can’t remove debris deep into the pores.   Second, apply toner that contains 0.5-2% salicylic acid to shed the dead cells from the upper layer of the skin as well as decrease any inflammation. Overusing products with salicylic acid can irritate the skin so only use it a few times per week.   Third, take precautions. Only use cosmetics that are water-based. Oil based products may clog your pores. This means applying an oil-free moisturizer and an oil-free sunscreen. Do not use excessive make-up. If you wear makeup, be sure to remove it by using a good make-up remover. The heavier the make-up, the more likely it will clog your pores. Stay away from humidity and pollution if possible. This deadly combination allows debris to collect and stick to the skin aggravating blackhead formation.   The Physical Removal of Blackheads Squeezing your skin for blackhead removal has the potential to further block your pores resulting in blackhead formation. This is a common mistake. The best way to remove blackheads is to use a blackhead remover. This is a more sterile and accurate way of extracting a blackhead to prevent damage and minimize scarring. Other removal tools on the market such as suction probes, using a pore vacuum or skin spatula can aggravate skin issues and lead to irritation. Using tools like these on sensitive skin is probably not a good idea. The same goes for blackhead strips. Using blackhead strips may cause more inflammation instead of less! Plus, these strips only work on the surface and may be painful during the blackhead removal process. To remove blackheads, you will first want to open the pore for easier extraction by using a steamer or placing a warm wet towel over the blackhead for 5 minutes. A great time to do this is after a shower. Use a quality blackhead remover tool or a comedones extractor for best results. Clean the blackhead tool or blackhead extractor with rubbing alcohol or an antiseptic solution to sterilize the tool before and after blackhead removal. There are usually 2 sides to a blackhead extraction tool. Gently press the side of the tool that best fits the blackhead and push it against the skin with the blackhead in the center of the hole. Be sure you do this gently to avoid skin damage. Slowly rock the tool back and forth to loosen the blackhead for 30 seconds or until removal is achieved. If it doesn’t come out easily, you may need to steam your face longer. Be sure to buy a quality extractor tool. This is your skin, so it’s important to prevent any unnecessary scarring and infection due to low quality implements. One that is recommended is the Seki Edge Blackhead Remover. It has two sides with different size holes and it’s made of Japanese stainless steel. You can check it out here. Lastly, if you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself or your home attempt at blackhead removal is being stubborn, you can see an esthetician or dermatologist who can easily do this for you, but it won’t be cheap. It’s best to see a professional to remove blackheads when there are complications such as a possible infection. And if you’ve got a serious situation, maybe it’s time to see Dr. Pimple Popper! Regularly removing blackheads and closing the pores afterwards can help to reduce the size of your blackheads when they come back. It is very difficult to completely get rid of blackheads to the point where they don’t return. But with constant careful attention you can minimize pore size over time which makes them less noticeable. Health and Wellness

Have you ever had a corn or callus? If you have, you would know that these are not specimens of beauty. They are ugly, hard and sometimes painful. However, corns and calluses are very common conditions. Usually known as thickened skin on the foot, corns are usually found on the tops of toes and calluses are found on the bottom of feet. They can also be found on the fingers due to excessive writing with a pen or playing instruments such as the guitar. Corns and calluses develop because of friction and pressure against the skin which can result in pain. If skin is rubbed too frequently, this will cause blisters instead of calluses to form. When rubbed on a frequent basis, this is where corns and calluses are formed. Corns and calluses are most frequently found on the feet. When one walks frequently, this can be a culprit for calluses. Walking isn’t something we can really avoid so it’s not uncommon to build calluses on the bottom of the feet. At some point the calluses can become so thick it becomes painful. So how do you get rid of calluses and corns on the feet? The first line of defense is to have good supporting shoes that are wide at the toes with a low heel. By having wide toed shoes, the feet are not squished and by having a low heel, there is less pressure on the balls of feet. Using over-the-counter pads, lotions, pumice stones, callus removers, foot baths and scrub brushes may help with reducing the thickened skin. Depending on how severe the callus or corn is, more aggressive action may need to be taken by a professional. Diabetics are especially prone to calluses because of the changes in skin tissue and lack of sensation caused by nerve damage. To get rid of very thick calluses, use callus remover tools to shave or grind down the thickened skin. Don’t worry, the skin is so thick you won’t even feel the tool. But as you shave off more and more skin and get closer to fresh skin, this is when you know it may be time to stop. Depending on how thick the callus is, you may need to grind down quite a bit. To minimize the amount of grinding you have to do, be sure to shave down your calluses before they become too thick. To get rid of corns, there are medicated pads available that help soften hardened corns so they can more easily be removed. Since corns are small it may be difficult to use any kind of pumice stone or file to remove them, especially if they are in a hard-to-reach place. So a treated pad often medicated with salicylic acid can be quite effective at removing small spots of hardened skin. But the best news comes in the form of prevention because like anything, prevention is easier and less costly to carry out than treatment. By getting properly fitted footwear, wearing protective pads and frequently using a callus reducer, you can keep calluses and corns down to a minimum. Using these preventative measures will slow down the growth of the calluses and it will take longer for them to form. Other ways to prevent calluses and corns are to use gloves when doing manual labor, soak your hands or feet in warm water and exfoliate a few times a week, and/or condition the affected skin with a rich moisturizing lotion or oil. There are numerous ways to prevent these unsightly skin conditions. It’s just a matter of taking these actions on a regular basis. The good news is that you have many options and they are treatable. Product, Callus Tools

  Splinter removal can be one painful act. That needle-like object piercing through the skin seems like it would be just as painful as removing them. Splinters come in various shapes and sizes. But usually the smaller ones hurt the most. Why? Because they are difficult to remove. Some people use glue or tape, while even others use potatoes (believe it or not) for splinter removal. Here are some simple steps on how to remove a splinter properly to avoid further pain or possible infection. 1) Do not attempt to squeeze the splinter out. If you do, sharp splinters might push themselves further in if aggravated. Even worse, it may even break into smaller pieces. By understanding how to remove a splinter properly, you will see that you will not need to be doing any squeezing. 2) Wash and dry the spot with soap and water. But be gentle. This is to prevent infection. Make sure you pat the wound down to soak up excess water with a paper towel. 3) Sterilize the implement(s) you will use with an antiseptic solution or even a hot flame to prevent infection. 4) Inspect with a magnifying glass. By seeing the splinter up close, you can see the best way to approach your splinter removal. Depending on how the splinter is angled, this will dictate the best way to take it out. 5) There are several ways to accomplish splinter removal. The best ways are to use the tweezers method, needle method, or nail clipper/razor blade method.   How to remove a splinter with the tweezers method: This is probably the splinter removal method you are most familiar with and is best used when the splinter is protruding from the skin. If it is sticking out horizontally use the needle method or the nail clipper method. You may want to numb the area with ice if it is a sensitive area after cleaning it. Sterilize the tip of the tweezers with rubbing alcohol or a hot flame and hold the magnifying glass to see where the splinter is sticking out of the skin. Using the tweezers, grab the splinter at the head making sure not to grab any hair or skin. Again, don’t attempt to squeeze the splinter while pulling it out. When you do this you actually encourage the skin to grip the embedded end. This may lead to splinter breakage. Pull the splinter out in the direction it went into the skin.   How to remove a splinter with the needle method: Splinter removal using a needle is the best method when there is a thin layer of skin over the splinter. If the splinter is set deep in the skin, this is not a good method to use. First you will need to sterilize the needle. Then, using the magnifying glass, see where the splinter entered the skin. Stick the needle in at the opening and gently apply upward pressure opening the skin above the splinter. By pulling the skin apart this should expose the splinter allowing you to now use the tweezers method to remove the splinter. You may need to use the needle to nudge the splinter out and loosen the skin around the splinter if it’s stubborn.   How to remove a splinter with a nail clipper/razor method: This method is best used when a splinter is buried under thick skin that is not very sensitive. The heel of the foot would be a prime example. To use this splinter removal method, sterilize the edges of the clipper or razor with rubbing alcohol. Clip or cut the skin parallel to the splinter. It should not hurt. Gently pull the skin apart to see the splinter. Then, use the tweezers method. Once the splinter is removed, be sure to disinfect the area with hydrogen peroxide, saline peroxide, alcohol pad or some other antiseptic solution. Also an antibiotic ointment may help to prevent infection. Natural antiseptics include raw organic honey or tea tree oil. Removing a splinter can seem like a squeamish task, but if done correctly, it can be painless. Now that you know how to remove a splinter, you can be sure that your splinter removal experience will be done in a cinch. Product, Health and Wellness, Tweezers

When the sun is out and you’re ready to have some fun, so are your feet. Whether it’s putting your toes in the sand or walking in flip flops, your feet are going to take a little beating. After all those months of being covered in socks and shoes, the warmth brings freedom for your feet. But with feet and toes being exposed, are they in good shape to be seen in public? Because you can be well dressed, have great hair and even a nice manicure, but if your feet don’t match the bill, it’s a bit embarrassing. So how can we get our feet looking their best? Follow these simple DIY steps to having great looking feet without spending an arm and a leg. Remove the Calluses Dried, hard calluses are unsightly and can even be painful. File down hardened skin with a callus remover and smooth out the skin with a callus reducer. By removing dried, cracked skin, you make room for fresh new skin to make an appearance. Filing calluses is quite simple. But the thicker the skin, the more you will need to work at it. Once you file down the callus and smooth it out, the skin underneath will be soft and supple. Some callus removers are pretty harsh so be careful not to scrub too hard once you get closer to fresh skin.   Trim Toenails Keeping nails trimmed and tidy is key to nice looking toes. If you have overgrown toenails, it can look quite unattractive. Use a good toenail clipper to trim your nails. If the nails are thick, make sure the nail clipper is strong enough to cut through them. For very thick toenails you may need a nail nipper which have jaws that can cut through the toughest of nails. Cut your toenails straight across to prevent ingrown toenails and then file down any rough edges with a nail file. You want to cut your nails so that a little white part is still present. If you cut it all off, you’ve likely cut off too much.   Get Rid of Any Fungus or Other Growth Sometimes nails can get fungus (yeast or mold). It’s nasty and can be difficult to get rid of. If you have any cracks in the nail or skin surrounding the nail, fungus can get in and cause an infection. If you’re not sure what toenail fungus is, it’s generally characterized by a discolored look and the nail can get thick. It can also be distorted in shape, brittle, crumbly or ragged. It can even smell! Toenail fungus is much more common than fingernail fungus so be sure to keep an eye on your feet for these signs. Unfortunately, nail fungus is not that easy to get rid of. Treatments include oral anti-fungal drugs, medicated nail polish and medicated nail cream. In more extreme measures, surgery might be necessary. If the fungus infects the areas between the toes and skin, this is athlete’s foot. This is caused by allowing your feet to get sweaty while wearing tight-fitting shoes. Athlete’s foot can lead to an itchy, scaly rash. To treat Athlete’s foot, be sure to keep feet clean and dry. Change your socks regularly and wear ventilated shoes. There are some home remedies that may help but if the fungus doesn’t respond to them, it can can be treated with topical anti-fungal medications or even prescription drugs.   Give Your Feet Some TLC Your feet get a beating every day. It’s important to take care of them so they last you a long time. Keeping your feet clean and hydrated will keep the skin in great shape. Give your feet a massage once in a while and stretch out those arches. Give your feet some TLC and they will thank you for it. If you’re ok with people touching your feet, opt for reflexology from a professional who can rub out any knots. You’d be surprised by how much stress sits in your feet. Keeping feet moisturized will help keep the cracks away, help prevent calluses and keep your skin hydrated. The more hydrated they are, the softer the skin will be.   Add a Little Color If you’re into nail polish, get some color on those toenails. They can often look plain and naked without it. Have fun with it! Nail polish on the toenails can last a long time so it’s not high maintenance. If you’ve taken care of all these, your feet must be ready for summer. So slip on some sandals and show off those beautiful feet of yours!   Health and Wellness