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Acne is a nuisance that takes on a variety of forms, including whiteheads. Whiteheads are little white bumps that form in lots of places, such as your nose. Unless you don't mind walking around with the little light-colored buggers on your schnoz, you need to nix them, pronto. Fortunately, getting rid of them doesn't take much effort.
Symptoms
Ever look in the mirror and see a bunch of tiny bumps under your eye or in the crease of your nose? Yup, they're whiteheads. Whiteheads like to make appearances wherever pores exist. Whiteheads around the eye, however, could be a cause for concern. Certain eye infections can show up looking like whiteheads, but are more serious. To prevent any issues, contact your doctor if you notice the bumps on your eyelides or in the lash line.
Causes
Just like pimples, whiteheads thrive wherever dead skin and oil are present. These mischief-causing materials work their way into pores and clog them up. The result is the complexion-busting whitehead. Your schnoz is particularly supsceptible because of all the oil-producing glands it contains. Whiteheads are very similar to blackheads, except they don't oxidize and turn black in the sun like blackheads.
Treatment
Putting the smack down on whiteheads is fairly easy. One way is to hold a warm compress over the bump for about 10 minutes a few times a day. Follow that up by applying an alcohol- and acid-free toner over the spot. That whitehead should be history in a few days. Another tried and true method is to dab salicylic acid-containing ointment over the bump twice a day. The acid will seep its way down into the whitehead and kick its nasty insides to the curb.
Prevention
Keeping whiteheads to a minimum only takes a few minutes each day. Wash your face -- especially your nose area -- with a cleanser that contains salicylic acid twice a day to clear up bacteria and other gunk that wants to clog your pores. Exfoliating once a week sloughs off your dead skin cells and prevents them from making their home down in your pores. Using oil-free makeup and moisturizer also keeps your pores clean and clear.
