You might have noticed tiny white granule-like bumps on your face, especially the T section of your face. Our skin is prone to acne for various reasons and the most affected part of the face is the forehead, nose, mouth, and chin. These parts of the face make a T shape hence it is named as T area.
No matter what remedies you do, these little white things keep coming back on your face. Sometimes you feel so frustrated and wish that some permanent cures can make these annoying white bumps go away for good.
We are here with all the information you need on whiteheads, their causes, and how to remove whiteheads around mouth.
What are Whiteheads?
So, what are whiteheads and how are you going to distinguish between whiteheads and other types of acne?
Whiteheads are small white bumps that seem to stick out of the skin. A whitehead is formed when the skin pore gets clogged with skin oil and dead skin cells. A whitehead has this particular tiny dome shape because the pore gets sealed from the top whereas in the case of a blackhead the pore is still open.
Whiteheads are a little difficult to treat and they keep coming back if we don’t take some preventive measures.
Common Causes of Whiteheads Around Mouth
To answer what causes whiteheads around mouth, you need to keep your daily routine and habits in check.
The causes of whiteheads forming around the mouth vary from person to person. Some individual habits and lifestyles are the main determinants of frequent whiteheads around the mouth. You can easily know the cause or causes that might be responsible for your whitehead breakout.
We are listing a few common causes of whiteheads that appear near the mouth as below:
- Habitual face touching
- Sleeping on dirty pillow-cases
- Musical instruments
- Mobile phone
- Shaving cream
- Toothpaste
- Lip balm usage
- Sweat on skin
- Oily skin
- Food residue
- Wearing a helmet with a strap
Those irritating tiny whiteheads around mouth occur depending upon various reasons as above. Touching your face again and again with dirty hands and using a dirty pillow can be a basic cause. The same goes for cell phones or musical instruments that touch your mouth repeatedly such as a flute or mouth organ can cause acne.
Shaving creams can clog pores thus initiating whiteheads. Some men can develop whiteheads on the face after shaving if they have sensitive skin that easily gets irritated by a strong ingredient. Toothpaste can have the same effect on some people. Along with shaving cream and toothpaste, a greasy lip balm can also block the pores around lips and cause whiteheads while food residue alongside the mouth can also clog pores and start whiteheads.
Wearing a helmet with a strap under the chin can lead to whiteheads around mouth and chin. Oily skin, not wiping the mouth after eating, and sweat on the skin after a workout can be a few other causes of small whiteheads around mouth.
Is it Fine to Pop Whiteheads?
In some attempts to get rid of whiteheads around mouth you might be tempted to pop those irritable whiteheads. But is it ok to pop whiteheads?
According to dermatologists, you can pop some whiteheads that are superficial or in other words already hanging out. Try not to budge whiteheads that are pinkish from underneath or have roots deep inside the skin. Popping a raw whitehead can aggravate it or it may leave a scar on your skin.
Our Tips to Prevent a Breakout of Whiteheads Around Mouth
We can understand you desperately want some tips to stop whiteheads from appearing near your mouth. If you follow the advice shared below, we can guarantee that your problem of repetitive whiteheads along your mouth will diminish to a great extent.
- Regular cleansing: Use a mild and gentle facial cleanser to cleanse and exfoliate daily. Wash your face whenever you touch your face with a cell phone or musical instrument
- Avoid products with pore-clogging ingredients: do not use lip balms with coconut oil in them as well as limit the spread of balm outside the lips. Use a mild shaving cream for reducing acne breakout
- Wash your face after a workout, eating, and when going to bed: Developing these habits and incorporating them into your routine will reduce whiteheads. If you cannot immediately take a shower after exercise then at least wash your face to get rid of sweat
- Do not pop whiteheads and stop touching your face: Develop a habit of not touching your face too often as it limits the spread of acne. In addition, picking on whiteheads can leave permanent marks on your skin so refrain from doing so
In short, you can prevent whiteheads from appearing around the mouth area if you develop more cleanliness habits.
Treatment
If your preventive measures are not working or you want results more quickly, then you can try some over-the-counter topical medications for whiteheads. For recurring whiteheads around mouth, you can use a face wash and cleanser that has Benzoyl peroxide in them which helps in preventing and clearing blocked pores.
In severe breakout cases, you can consult your dermatologist for prescription medication for individual needs so that you do not suffer discomfort any longer.
Final Thoughts
Everyone wants clear and beautiful skin so make sure that you know if any triggers can give you whiteheads breakout. Try to keep everything clean that constantly touches your face such as a helmet strap, music instrument, or cell phone. Make a habit of washing your face more often and do not pop whiteheads!
