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Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:12 am  |
Hi,
im a 21 yr old male with a slightly embarassing prob! i have lots of black heads in my nose! the rest of my skin is fine, no probs (i did have acne when i was younger, although its 95% cleared up now), but my nose seems to attract a reasnobly viscous pus in all the pores! its not really noticable unless close up, and i can remove the larger pores contents with a squeeze, but i would like a more permanant solution if possible
they are not like normal black heads, however, as they never turn to spots! they simple grow in size until they are large enough to excavate. they are not huge or dark black, more of a yellow colour also!
im not on any medication etc and im way past puberty etc!
is there any kind of cream etc i can use to remove these black heads and keep them well under control? i wash my face with soap (to get it 100% clean) morning & night, and i use face moisturiser to keep it soft. sometimes i also use this daily cleanser alcohol based liquid once during the day which seems to just remove the grease.
the rest of my face is pretty spot free, although my forehead still has slightly bumpy areas and sometimes i get spots there too.
appologies for this being a rather unpleasant topic, but i would appreciate any advice please!
PS i actually took a few pics of my nose (gosh im vain!) but i dont have any web space etc so im assuming its not possible to put them up online? |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:37 pm |
Welcome to the forum!
Don't worry about your topic being unpleasant, we've read a lot worse on here before. 
I would be careful using soap and any alcohol based products on oily skin. These sort of products just strip the skin of its natural oils and then the skin will produce a lot more oil to compensate. So, by using soap or an alcohol based cleanser you will just make your skin go into an oil producing frenzy.
Do you use an exfoliator? Perhaps if you exfoliate twice a week, paying particular attention to your nose, then this may help to clear the blocked pores.
Can't think of anything else to suggest right now but I'm sure some of the other members will be along soon to offer some advice. |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:57 pm |
thanks a lot for the reply! 
by exfoliator, do you mean a facial scrub with those little gritty particles in it?
if so, then no, i dont use one. i have ofen thought about it, but it seems very expensive!
do you have any lowish cost versions? im from the UK btw!
also, if soap (despite my using moisturiser straight after) is drying out my skin and removing essential oils, is there a good alternative which cleans my skin well?
i have tried all these soaps with moisturiser etc but my skin doesn;t feel clean afterwards.
im pretty keen on the gym etc so have a clean diet etc and drink lots of water
thanks once again for the reply! |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 1:16 pm |
I think it's worth getting yourself a basic facial scrub. I would imagine that Boots or Superdrug would sell their own cheap versions. You can sometimes pick up a bargain in the supermarket too. Tesco do their own skin products (my boyfriend loves their sensitive skin moisturising cream which was about £2).
Perhaps you should try a gel cleanser for your skin. They are good for getting your skin clean without leaving too much residue. Make sure it is soap free though. It will often state on the packaging if it is gentle and soap free. Or, if you don't want to try a gel cleanser you could look for a foaming facial wash. Yet again you will need to check that it is soap free.
My boyfriend uses the Nivea For Men Cleansing Face Scrub. It's a cleanser and facial scrub in one. He's not big on faffing about in the bathroom so a dual product suits him down to the ground. It's reasonably priced too. |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 1:43 pm |
I know Apple Cider Vinegar cleared up the few whiteheads I had on my chin. You can use ACV as a toner (after you wash your face). Hope Carrie reads this thread as she can give you a nice homemade version suited for you skin type. You can also do a search on Apple Cider Vinegar and get some good suggestions.
-Cleanse
-Exfoliate (2x's a week)
-Toner (daily after cleansing)
-Moisturize (get a light mositurizer with an SPF of at least 15).
Neutrogena also has a large pore toner that might work very nicely for you. This toner has glycolic acid in it.
Good luck,
Winnie |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:54 pm |
thanks for the replies. what product would you reccomend for each of your suggestions:
Cleanse (nivea for men cleansing face scrub?)
Exfoliate
Toner
Moisturize |
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Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:02 pm |
| You might check out http://www.paulaschoice.com, under the section mens skincare. Be sure to scroll down to see all of her product offerings. |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:02 am |
thank you for the links. however, im from the UK so would idealy need a easily avaliable UK source.
i dont mind performing several stages of cleaning, if by doing this its more effective than the "two in 1" methods.
would someone be able o give me a good, lowish cost brand of each of the following please?:
Cleanse (nivea for men cleansing face scrub, or should i try carekates homemade thing? i found the recipie!)
Exfoliate
Toner (carekates homemade stuff, i found a link to the ingredients
Moisturize
i will buy some apple cider vinegar tomorrow and give it a go! i have done a few searches to try and establish what ratio i should make it with, but im not really sure what type of skin i have! i guess its considered dryish but also greasyish, but i dunno if thats because i have been using soap for years? the rest of my skin (arms etc) isnt dry or greasy, just erm normal! |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:58 am |
If you decide to use the Nivea Cleansing Scrub or Carekate's recipe for Cleansing Cream then you won't need both a cleanser and an exfoliator as both of these products cleanse and unblock pores at the same time.
Other cheap brands to check out for cleanser, exfoliator etc are the Boots Skin Kindly range (not sure how effective the range is but it is very cheap). 'Simple' is a good range that is cheap. They have a cleansing gel, a facial scrub and an alcohol free toner (very important to make sure that any toner you buy is alcohol free). Also, all their products are colour and fragrance free so you won't end up smelling like a tart's boudoir.
It would be worth giving Carekate's ACV toner a go as lots of people are having good results with it.
You say that you are already using a moisturiser. Does it have an SPF rating? As Winnie said, make sure your moisturiser has a decent SPF in it. I know we don't get much sun in the UK but regardless of what the weather is doing you need to protect your skin.
If your skin is dry in some places, greasy in others then you most likely have what is considered a combination skin type. This means oily on the forehead, nose and chin but dryer on the cheeks.
Get yourself down to Boots and take the time to browse round the different product ranges. It will give you an idea of what is available regarding skincare products and also the sort of prices they charge for all the potions and creams. |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:26 am |
ahhhh, im starting to understand all this skin lark now. i feel like a 12 year old girl being taught all about make-up by her older sister  
the moisturiser im using is his tub from superdrug. they dont mension an SPF rating, but the label seems very pleased with itself that it contains Vitamin C??? im assuming thats a good thing!
what is a "good" value for SPF rating? the higher the better i assume!
i need to buy some new moisturiser- is there any brand (again low cost please) which you would reccomend?
also, i go to the gym quite a lot but i do mostly weights and so i never really work up much of a sweat (as when u rest between weight sets you cool down so dont sweat). however, perhaps doing this is a bad thing, as would sweating clean out of pores perhaps? would i be able to use some quick cleaner thingy post gym to remove any grime?
thanks for your help toe |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:33 am |
Vitamin C is a good thing - antioxidant that fights free radicals blah, blah. Won't bore you with all that. I think a moisturiser with an SPF rating of 15 or above is more important to start off with rather than worrying about Vitamin C. A lot of moisturisers don't always state what the SPF rating is, they just say contains UVA/UVB protection. Can't think of any cheap moisturisers with an SPF15. I know that Neutrogena do a Moisture Day Lotion with SPF15 but it is £7.99 and so may be more than you are willing to spend. Here are the details.
Still, protecting your skin is very important so if you are going to spend a little bit extra on any of your skincare products it should be on your moisturiser. It's a light, non-greasy product so will be good for your skin type. Boots do a product called Complete Skincare Moisturising Fluid which is £1.99 and has SPF15. Not sure how effective that would be though. Here is the link.
The best thing to do is to go to Boots, Superdrug, Savers etc and just take the time to look at all the moisturisers they have, reading the details on the packaging and checking to see if it has a decent SPF and that it is suitable for your skin type. You don't want anything too rich as it will just block your pores.
Sweating can be good for cleaning out toxins but it all depends on your skin type. I've got combination skin which is prone to hormonal breakouts. I always found that sweating would make my breakouts flare up. How does your skin usually react to sweat? Does it cause spots?
If you want to cleanse your skin after the gym there is nothing to stop you. You could either take your regular facial wash and use it at the sink in the changing rooms or if you really wanted a quick and easy option you could use some facial wipes. This sort of thing. There are lots of different brands of facial wipes on the market so you can take your pick. The cheapest option would be just to take your usual facial wash with you and use that. Also, less waste to damage the environment. Those facial wipes are not eco-friendly as you only use them once and then throw them away.
Remember to apply your moisturiser again after cleansing! |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:59 am |
| Oil of Olay makes a full spectrum moisturizer with and spf of 15 too, I think. Don't know about the cost though. |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:12 am |
thanks once again for the reply toe (outta interest- why did u choose that user name?)
i do get some spots on my upper back/shoulders. i dunno if this is from working out?
would i be able to use carekates homemade clenser on my back/shoulders, but just throw on some baby lotion on afterwards?
i think i will go into boots etc as you suggested and cruise around (will be most embarassing!), but im doin final yr uni exams atm so i may not do it for another month. i think i will just buy some of that nivea stuff for now, and then after the exams really make a big effort with all this home made professional stuff!
i will keep an eye on this forum to keep on learning new things though!!! thanks for your help! |
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Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:51 am |
Toe stands for Term Of Endearment. Didn't want my boyfriend to use the usual: Babe, Honey, Sweetie etc so said to him that if he wanted to use a term of endearment he could. Told him to use TOE.
The spots on your back/shoulders could be due to sweat during a workout but it could also be due to hormones (nasty things). It's a good idea to use an exfoliator on those areas as the pores can sometimes get clogged just like the pores on the face. Plenty of body scrubs available on the market and if you wanted to spend a little bit more money you can also buy body washes that contain tea tree oil or salicylic acid - both great spot fighting ingredients.
Carekate's cleansing cream would be a little difficult to use on your back and shoulders. There is a very particular method of application and use with the cleansing cream which makes it very difficult to use anywhere other than your face.
Body Scrubs. Some people make their own body scrubs. I don't have any recipes for you though. Perhaps if you post a new thread asking for homemade body scrub suggestions you might get some useful replies. Carekate seems to be very good at cooking up skincare products and so she might be able to give you some advice.
Neutrogena Body Wash. Best to use this only on the shoulders, chest and back. Stick to using a milder shower gel/body wash on other areas of the body. The spot fighting ingredients may cause a problem with more sensitive areas  . Also as it is quite expensive you don't want to waste it by using it all over the body. Can't think of any body washes containing Tea Tree oil off the top of my head. I'm sure there must be some out there. Tea Tree oil is a fantastic spot fighting ingredient.
Don't worry about spending time in Boots. Plenty of men are getting into skincare nowadays. Just stay clear of the make-up aisles and you'll be fine.
Best of luck with your exams! |
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