I have written many posts about my journey on whiteheads [1][2] and while doing so I somehow found out that my whiteheads turned out to be fungal acne[3]. Although I have written many posts about whiteheads, I thought I should write one for a drugstore/ The Ordinary option for whiteheads, so here it is.
I love The Ordinary because of their affordable pricing. Many products are less than $10. The ONE thing the ordinary isn’t great at is explaining what product we need for each skin problem.
As I mentioned in my previous posts, whiteheads occur when your pore becomes clogged with sebum, dead skin cells and debris. Unlike like blackheads which involve an open pore, whiteheads, on the other hand, is a closed pore and therefore are not extractable.
To get rid of whiteheads – we must first exfoliate the skin to help get closer to the pore to remove the gunk
1.Exfoliate the skin
Even though we see the flesh colored bump on our skin it is not yet extractable. If you try, you will ruin your skin. That’s why we have to either wait till it ripens or we can speed it up with exfoliators such as BHA or AHA so it becomes extractable.
I know it is hard but wait till the whitehead is on the surface layer and not deep within. If you extract too early, not only will it not work but it will risk further infecting the surrounding skin and scarring the skin.
I personally like to use a cleanser with salicylic acid (BHA). Although I am acne prone my skin doesn’t love BHA left on the skin. Sometimes the BHA irritates my skin when it is left too long. It ends up drying up my skin and it in return causes more acne.
By using a cleanser, you are able to limit the exposure to the irritating BHA it will be only in contact to your skin until you remove it. BHA doesn’t need to be on your skin for a prolonged time to work. Even the short time the BHA is exposed on your skin, it is able to work. AHA, on the other hand, must be left on the skin to help exfoliate the skin.
Most drugstores have cleansers with salicylic acid, it doesn’t really need to be fancy. But one thing I would recommend is to make sure it doesn’t dry out your skin. My personal favorite is the Vichy deep pore cleanser, a little pricey but you can also use a simple cleanser like Neutrogena oil-free cleansers with salicylic acid from the drugstore.
If you insist to use BHA and AHA product from the Ordinary to help with your whiteheads, here are my thoughts on each product:
AHA
Some of the ones I have tried are:
Glycolic Acid 7% Tonning Solution – $8.70 This is one of my top picks from The Ordinary. It is effective and affordable. It always makes my skin glow after using. BUT it is hard to get a hold of. A little harsh on your skin, if you aren’t used to it.
Lactic Acid 5% + HA and 10% + HA- $5.70 Compared to the glycolic acid toning solution the lactic acid is gentler. If your skin is super sensitive I would start with 5% but I prefer the 10% much more. I didn’t see a difference with 5% but I did with 10%.
Mandelic Acid 10% + HA – Of all the AHA I listed this is by far the most gentle AHA from The Ordinary. I didn’t really like this one as much. I found it quite oily and did not absorb well into the skin. If you have sensitive and dry skin this might be for you.
BHA
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution – $5.30 A simple acne serum. I quite like this to use this on my acne, but I found it quite drying. If you decide to use this product, I would recommend you to properly moisturize. To be honest, I prefer a cleanser than a direct serum with salicylic acid, mainly because it isn’t as drying.
Whether you use AHA or BHA or maybe both (hopefully at night). Try not to go overboard at first, try 2- 3 times a week or even a test patch. After toning or applying serum, make sure you do one thing, properly moisturize. Some products are quite drying to the skin and cause fore acne if you don’t moisturize properly. If you want something simple, I sometimes like to use an aloe vera. One of my current favorite moisturizing product is The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics.
3.When its ready to pop
When your whitehead is fully plump and ripe make sure to prep it. If your whitehead never grows a white head, it might actually not be whiteheads. It might be fungal acne. If it’s fungal acne your two best friends are dandruff shampoos like Pantene and aloe.
When you are about to pop your whitehead, use a warm compress to make your pore temporarily bigger. This allows less irritation and less likely for it to scar.
4.Poping time
First, don’t use your fingers. It increases the risk of scarring. You can use Q-tips, it has a lower chance of scarring. If you really don’t want to pop, I would use a pimple sticker. My current favorite is the Cosrx Pimple Sticker. It slowly absorbs the stuff in the whitehead without damaging the skin.
5. After poping
It is said that you can immediately use a retinoid to help close the pore and start the healing process. I like to use products that contain Centella, which has healing properties. The ordinary doesn’t sell anything with healing properties use can help with healing but if you want retinoid my favorite one from The Ordinary is Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion. You also try using brightening products such as Alpha Arbutin and Niacinamide
Healing your skin is a journey. Whiteheads take time to get rid of, don’t expect it immediately disappear.
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A beauty lover that loves everything about beauty and skincare. She is always on the lookout to find the new “it” product. Whether it is budget friendly or high end, she plans to share with others her beauty adventures and beauty experiences on this blog.