What causes whiteheads?

To focus on what causes whiteheads, we first need to know exactly what they are and how do they differ from black heads. Both are the common skin disorders. As self explanatory, the black heads are the pin head like black and dry appearances without pus while the white heads are of the similar size but appear soft, white with pus and with or without some reddish coloration around them depending upon the time of appearance. Thedistinguishing feature of white heads is that they are closed and confined below the skin. Black heads on the other hand extrude out of the skin.

What causes whiteheads? 

The pores in skin from which the hairs grow have oil glands beneath the skin around the root hair. These glands known as sebaceous glands secrete sebum or the oil to keep the hair and skin duly oiled. When on any account these pores are clogged the sebaceous glands enlarge and ted to protrude outwards appearing like a pin head.

What clogs the pores? 

There may be many causes and one of the for example is that after an exercise or hot exposure these pores let the perspiration come out of skin to cool it and the pores expand for this purpose. Dirt or other extraneous matter finds its way in these openings. After cooling the openings shrink and the extraneous matter is trapped within, clogging the pores.

What are causative factors? 

A popular thinking and to quite some extent a right observation is that the white heads are related with puberty therefore this disorder is the most prevalent among adolescents. Fact is that during adolescents production of male hormones accelerates causing increased growth of hair and sebum too. The sebaceous glands enlarge and exert outward pressure appearing like protruded spots where the skin is soft. Since sebum is produced in lesser quantity during advanced age, the phenomenon manifests to lesser extent. Dead cells of skin not removed or exfoliated properly on due time also tend to plug the openings.

Hygiene and whiteheads 

Had it been due to lack of personal hygiene then whiteheads would have made only occasional appearance on the faces of a few only, which anyway is not the case. Age specific anxiety and inappropriate methods that most adolescents apply to get rid of the whiteheads are the causes of whiteheads. Growing kids, instead of asking about what they do not know, try all sorts of methods at their own. One of the causes of whiteheads is trying to expel pus by puncturing, using a pin or needle. Indeliberately, they cause more whiteheads instead of eliminating them

Bad bugs and whiteheads 

Some bad bugs also cause whiteheads. Staphylococcus aureus cause pus and  Propionibacterium acnes are the microbes that cause white heads in small numbers. Those involved spread them to a greater extent through their malpractices like puncturing them and functionally smearing the culture over a wider area. To clean and disinfect the skin after extracting will reduce white heads.