I used to suffer a lot from White Heads. This was not just due to hormonal changes in the body, but as I later realized, one of the major factors that made them worse was my diet.
Being very fond of chocolates, I used to eat one almost every day. This caused a lot of ‘chemical imbalance’ in the body, leading to not just white heads but also to allergies.
Many of you who must be suffering from the same might know that white heads don’t look good, can increase in size to resemble a boil and can even be painful. One challenge I faced in tackling my problem was that I cannot use scented creams. Unfortunately it is difficult to get unscented creams around here. So the only other choice (I thank my stars for it) is to find home remedies for the same.
Through my research I found that there are a few possible causes for white heads:
- Hormonal changes in the body
- Accumulation of hardened sebum (oil) in pores of the skin
- Exposure to sun and dirt
- Lack of hygiene
- Unhealthy lifestyle, disturbed sleep, unhealthy food.
- Impurities in the blood.
These are a few tips for Diet changes:
Always stick to seasonal, nutritious food with lots of fibre, including fruits and green leafy vegetables. They will never fail you in any condition under the sun.
Drink adequate water.
Include food with Zinc, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin A like spinach, pumpkin seeds, beans, tofu, carrots, apricots, sprouts, alfa-alfa seeds, brown rice, potato, yoghurt mushrooms, green beans, sunflower seeds, whole grain foods, legumes, turnip greens, beets, lotus stems, radish leaves, papaya, raisins etc.
Avoid non-vegetarian, fried, fatty and junk food.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, pastries, chocolates and soft drinks.
Home Applications for White Heads
· Rub your face with lemon skin and wash off. It helps open the pores.
· Take facial steam once a week to prevent whiteheads.
· Make a paste of sandalwood and rose water. Apply on affected area and wash off after 20-30 minutes with lukewarm water.
· Apply paste of Fenugreek leaves in water over face every night and wash with warm water.
· Take 50 ml raw milk, add a mix of a pinch of salt and 2 tsp lime juice in it. Use it as a cleansing lotion. It helps clean the deep pores of the skin.
Beware of:
· Left-over make-up on skin at night.
· Excessive use of chemical cosmetics.
· Squeezing the white head (If you do so, it will spread on the face and even leave scars)
· Stress
Must Do’s
· De-stress through relaxation techniques and massage or reflexology once a week.
· Exercise on a regular basis.
This may sound like a lot, but is actually very simple to follow. All you need to do is start with any one of the above tips and make a regular and healthy habit out of it.
Slowly you will notice the improvement… as I have.
Stay Well!
Ankita Shah.
(Director & Trainer at Pristine Senses Academy, Yoga Teacher, Writer, Reflexologist, Massage Trainer and Reiki Master)
(As published in Pristine Senses Academy blog
