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Beginning of Pore-less research
A blackhead is very tiny but is easily formed on the nose in the center of the face, and thus hinders the impression of skin beauty. It is a major concern among many women. Even though researches have been conducted about how to eliminate blackheads, there is not much study of how to prevent them.
A blackhead is very tiny but is easily formed on the nose in the center of the face, and thus hinders the impression of skin beauty. It is a major concern among many women. Even though researches have been conducted about how to eliminate blackheads, there is not much study of how to prevent them.
If blackheads just keep appearing, we need to think about prevention.
A team led by Dr. Pore-less of IPSA, Toshii Iida, stood up for the challenge.
Dr. Toshii Iida
Dr. Pore-less's research to pursue pore-less-ness
Team members started to sample blackheads from their own nose pores.
They conducted various experiments by exfoliating, cutting, dyeing, or melting
micrometer-size blackheads and closely observed pores and blackheads.
Mechanism of blackhead formation
A blackhead is formed by a disturbance in the stratum corneum turnover within the pores. When excess stratum corneum detaches faster than usual and is not excreted from the pores properly, sticky sebum adheres to such excess stratum corneum, creating a lid that closes the pore. It starts as a tiny lump, but in the course of the repetitive process, it grows big. Even after it is removed, the stratum corneum turnover is still disturbed, allowing another blackhead to appear.
Exfoliation alone
is not enough to
prevent reappearance.
-
①
Blackhead formation starts with multi-layering of the stratum corneum in the pore and sebum accumulation.
-
②
Excess stratum corneum stick to the accumulated sebum.
-
③
The repetitive processes of ① and ② above make a blackhead bigger.
-
④
An enlarged blackhead expands the pore, which looks widely dilated and noticeable. Removal of blackhead
Diagram
A blackhead is like the growth ring of a tree.
A blackhead looks like a tall plug. Viewed under an optical microscope, its horizontally cut cross section looks like the growth ring of a tree, with multiple layers of excess sebum and stratum corneum. Blackheads in several pores even merge in some cases.
Sebum and stratum corneum are closely adhered, but each needs different resolvents, making it rather difficult to extract them from the pores all together. The team tried various ingredients and kept searching for a combination to efficiently dissolve both of them.
Sebum and stratum corneum are closely adhered, but each needs different resolvents, making it rather difficult to extract them from the pores all together. The team tried various ingredients and kept searching for a combination to efficiently dissolve both of them.
Cause of pore darkening identified!
When dissecting blackheads and whiteheads in an experiment, the team found that blackheads contain not only sebum and stratum corneum but also many downy hairs. It has often been indicated that sebum oxidation and insufficient care are the causes of pore darkening, but it has now been confirmed that downy hairs have to do a lot with it.
To prevent blackhead growth
After trial and error, the team has finally found the perfect ingredient. The team started to search for an ingredient to prevent blackhead formation, the biggest challenge in their research. They applied various ingredients to the pores of the test subjects and compared the growth process of blackheads in cases of both application and non-application. After a great many experiments, the team has finally found an ingredient to prevent blackhead growth and smoothen skin. And they thus successfully created a perfect product with the functions of both exfoliation and prevention to solve this concern among many women and create skin with less visible pores.
No blackhead formation?Click here for details.
Answering Blackhead Questions
We now asked Dr. Pore-less to answer some questions about blackheads.
- Why do blackheads often form on the nose?
- The nose has very active sebaceous glands compared to other parts of the face, making it easier to disturb stratum corneum turnover. Its shape also hinders attentive care with facial cleansing and lotion, contributing to turnover disturbance.
- Are blackheads and acne not the same?
- They are not the same. Blackheads tend to form in areas with large pores with much sebum, such as the nose, while acne tends to form in areas with smaller pores similarly with much sebum, like the forehead and chin. Blackheads are not inflamed and thus do not turn red, and sebum is excreted from the only partially clogged skin surface, while acne often turns red with clogged pores. Acne bacteria sometimes feed on blackheads to become acne.
- Does cleansing not remove blackheads?
- Cleansing is not enough to remove blackheads, often leaving their roots. Obstinate blackheads, if closely stuck like the growth ring of a tree, need a special technique to deliver an exfoliator deep into the pores.
- I always take care of my skin pores, but they seem to be noticeable...
- A notable example is after taking a bath. Stratum corneum around the pores, which become hard due to turnover disruption, swell up, making blackheads more visible. But this is the very opportunity to extract them since blackheads can be easily removed at the root.
- Can pores be made smaller after blackheads are removed?
- In case of large open pores from which large blackheads have been removed, the pores can be made to look smaller. But this does not close the opening. As shown below, stratum corneum over pores make the opening look bigger.
- Excess stratum corneum
- Actual size of a pore
- Perceived size of a pore that looks larger than its actual size
Diagram
It's bore-less because it's pore-less.
Dr. Pore-less, who has pursued details like blackheads thoroughly, and IPSA co-creating recipes for any small skin concerns. Both worked together to explore bore-less blackhead care.