Blackheads are the result of hair follicles being blocked by skin cells and a material called sebum, which is naturally secreted by the sebaceous glands. Sebum is excreted in much larger numbers as kids reach adolescence, accounting for red colored pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. Blackheads and whiteheads are very similar, but the main difference lies in the fact that the follicles forming involved in blackheads are larger and remain open.

When an open pore becomes blocked with dead skin cells and sebum, this material is exposed to air and begins to oxidize. This causes the material to discolor and turn black, resulting in blackheads. Whiteheads on the other hand, are covered by a tiny amount of skin that prevents this oxidation, so they remain white in color.

Both blackheads and whiteheads are also called comedones, which are essentially plugs of the hair follicle. Open comedones are blackheads and closed comedones are whiteheads. They tend to be most prevalent on the skin of the face, neck, and chest, though technically any place where one has hair follicles can yield blackheads or whiteheads.

Using a good exfoliant, which helps to clean dead skin material out of pores, can often reduce number of blackheads. Also, an astringent may help reduce oil excreted by the pores, which tends to block skin material and form these annoying plugs. Most dermatologists recommend having blackheads removed professionally, since improper removal of them can lead to scarring of the skin. In time, however, most people can remove blackheads merely through use of daily exfoliation and daily application of astringent.

As with all pimples, some blackheads are stubborn, and may not respond to over the counter medications or treatments. In these cases, dermatologists can prescribe medications like Retin-A that help slough off dead skin so that fewer plugs form. If you are a teen or even an adult and do have a few blackheads, you’re certainly not alone. About 85% of teens suffer from one form of acne or another.