In my previous posts I’ve discussed in basic terms what are whiteheads and how to treat whiteheads on nose using natural home remedies. This time I wish to discuss one of the other options available to us being the quite common benzoyl peroxide.

If your whiteheads and blackheads don’t respond to natural treatments I recommend you explore further into some of the face acne treatments I will be discussing here. Although a good idea would be to speak with your local MD or dermatologist first.

Benzoyl Peroxide is probably one of the most popular and successful treatments for removing whiteheads and blackheads that you can find. It’s used in almost all acne and pimple treatments you can think of and is the basis for the proactive acne treatment and other over the counter pimple creams.

Benzoyl Peroxide and whiteheads on nose

The bacteria living on your skin that is widely attributed to the acne phenomenon is called Propionibacteria Acnes. This particular type of bacteria cannot survive in an aerobic environment. Or in simple terms, it can’t live with oxygen. Benzoyl Peroxide works by injecting oxygen into your skins pore, where the bacteria lives and therefore killing it. Theoretically, if we reduce the amount of this bacteria on your skin, we can reduce the amount of acne type lesions you suffer from.

You’ll find most of the medications out there will contain benzoyl peroxide of a concentration between 2.5% up to 10%. From personal experience I would suggest beginning with the lowest strength formula you can find to see how your skin reacts.

Side Effects

Please don’t consider benzoyl peroxide as the magic cure all for getting rid of whiteheads or other types of acne because it certainly has a few downsides you really need to be aware of before you proceed with its use. The following is a list of some of the most common side effects I have either come across personally or heard enough reported cases that they deserve a mention.

• Be careful if you’re pregnant, this product still has a lot of unknowns surrounding pregnant and breast feeding women.
• May cause bleaching of clothing or hair. Discolorations may also occur in your skin.
• May cause permanent freckles or brown spots.
• Can ‘burn’ your skin causing redness, swelling and even sun sensitivity.
• May cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
• Excessive dryness of the skin is also very common.

While these downsides certainly should make you think carefully about using this product, it really isn’t as bad as it sounds, it’s important I note that most of these side effects aren’t really that common and you shouldn’t worry about them too much. In most cases, side effects can be effectively countered using an oil free moisturiser. When used as directed, serious side effects are quite rare.

As I mentioned earlier, benzoyl peroxide is found in many over the counter acne treatments and considering how long it’s been used to treat pimples (approx 80 years) it does have some merit, YES IT WORKS!

You should refer to your product packaging for directions on applying any acne treatment facial creams containing benzoyl peroxide but the general theme is to apply it to your WHOLE face and not just the affected area. This is because it works as a preventative as well as a treatment and use over a few weeks or months will help to remove lingering bacteria and therefore clear up those whiteheads on nose.

For those of us who suffer from whiteheads on nose or other types of acne, the idea of going out and spending hundreds of dollars on pimple creams or special 3 or 4 part complete skin systems is not that crash hot. Especially when some of these acne programs will charge you ongoing monthly fees to top up on your supplies.

Before you all start telling me “But Jonny, I don’t have a choice! I have to buy these products or my skin suffers BIG TIME!”, there are a few natural acne home remedies worth checking out if your skin problems aren’t very severe. The reason I say this is extremely severe acne may be a sign of something a bit more serious and will probably require more drastic action such as microdermabrasion and medications.

In my personal experience and opinion, a good home remedy is the best place to start to try and get rid of whiteheads and blackheads as it is definitely your cheapest bet. If they don’t work at least you know and can then move onto products such as acne no more.

I’ll start with a few of my favourite ones that can certainly assist in helping get rid of your pimples overnight, YES! You read correctly, a few of these have shown considerable results for me personally very quickly indeed

Toothpaste on Whiteheads

Does toothpaste work on pimples? I know what you are probably thinking with this one! But the fact is I’ve had some great success with applying toothpaste on pimples. One of the main ingredients in common toothpaste is sodium which is quite powerful in drying out those pesky whiteheads.

It probably shouldn’t be considered as an acne cure or anything like that as it won’t treat the causes of whiteheads and blackheads but it certainly is useful when it comes to emergency situations. For example, you have a job interview the next morning and out of nowhere there’s a massive whitehead on your nose! All you would do is apply a small amount onto your whitehead and leave it overnight.

If your not that keen on sleeping with toothpaste on your face you can leave it for and hour or so while watching TV or reading a book, and then wipe it off. If you have other types of acne or your problem is not limited to just one area such as your nose or face, it is possible to use toothpaste as a facial mask.

As a facial mask you would apply a thin layer over your whole face and leave for 30-40 minutes. This technique shouldn’t become a regular occurrence as toothpaste will suck up all the moisture out of your skin, causing other problems such as dry, flaky skin.

Garlic for Whiteheads

Garlic and Acne? Using garlic for your acne troubles does seem a bit odd I’ll admit, but hear me out for a minute guys! Have you ever considered the true healing power of this versatile spice?

It’s widely accepted that garlic does contain amazing antibiotic and anti inflammatory properties. What this means for you and me is that garlic can kill bacteria, and bacteria is probably the principle reason we suffer from whiteheads on nose!

One thing to remember is that you’re not supposed to apply garlic directly to your face, your meant to EAT it! I know eating garlic constantly will cause us to lose our friends and family pretty quickly from the smell, but there are odourless garlic pills on the market which you can give a try. You won’t see results with this overnight but be patient and over a few weeks you should notice the red swelling should start to subside

Aloe Vera for Whiteheads

Aloe Vera is commonly used for sunburn due to it’s ability to speed up the healing process of damaged skin. But many people don’t realise it’s possible to harness this power to help get rid of whiteheads and other types of acne. I personally use Aloe Vera on my skin all the time, I absolutely love it! Ever since beginning my treatment program I have noticed softer and smoother skin.

While aloe vera will not cure your skin troubles, it goes a long way in reducing the symptoms associated with Acne Vulgaris (common acne). Aloe Vera contains the vitamins and minerals required by the skin to repair at a phenomenal rate. It will reduce inflamed skin and will even diminish unsightly scars left behind by pimples.

The best way to implement this remedy is to purchase a commonly available over the counter aloe vera gel moisturiser. Wash your face day and night and gently apply a thin layer across the affected skin. You will notice results within a few days to a week.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Whiteheads

Apple Cider Vinegar as a treatment for whiteheads and blackheads is a little bit more obscure than some of the other remedies mentioned. However it does work. I myself noticed this is quite powerful on the skin and did sting a bit on application. So I suggest you be very careful when first using this in case you get some sort of skin irritation.

We all know one of the primary causes of whiteheads include excess sebum, fat and dead skin cells on the skin, clogging pores. What apple cider vinegar can do is dissolve these with it’s rich alpha-hydroxy acid content.

As I found this solution to be quite strong, I recommend diluting the vinegar with 6-8 parts water per 1 part vinegar. After that I use a cotton bud to apply to affected areas the same as a toner. You will notice a bit of a smell with this, so personally I only apply this one at night before bed.

I have heard of people drinking apple cider vinegar to help with pimples, however personally I haven’t had any real success with this so won’t go into any real details. But if you’re interested, try one or two tablespoons per day and let me know if you have any results.

So there it is guys, my most recommended home remedy whiteheads on nose acne treatments. These treatments should also work for other types of acne. I suggest you experiment with each one separately to get a good gauge on how your skin will react to each. It may be a smart idea to apply each treatment to a small part of your skin in case of adverse reactions, then when all is good, go all out!

I should also stress once more, these remedies will NOT cure your skin conditions, only help to alleviate the symptoms.

Basically I want you to experiment, each person is different, what works for others may not necessarily produce the best results for you.

See how you go. Good luck.

Regards, Jonny