The Washington times., 1905-10-07

There Is not a day passes that my
mall does not bring many letters ask
ing how bIackheads are to be done
away with and prevented and though
there would seem to be nothing left TO
say In the subject the fact that many
persons continue to inquire demon
strates need for enlightenment.
Indigestion and sluggish circulation,
the latter many times caused by the for
mer. are responsible frequently for
blackheads, but a certain secretion of
dirt Is always present. Without II they
are white, and not blackheads. The face
Is filed with countless oily follicIes,
whose purpose is TO keep the skin sofi
and flexible. When they work too
quickly an oily skin is the result Un-
less the face is scrupulously clean a
speck of dust becomes covered with the
oily secretion. Is held into the pore
through which the matter was exuded.
and the result is a blackhead- Unfor-
tunateiy, the mere presence OF dust acts
as an irritant, each gland so covered
making active efforts to th-e"' 8. 1T :.
u this activity that causes Irritation,
and in the center is left a little black
plug, which. unless promptly removed,
forms an objectionable pimple
Obviously then TIE .a!:!!::S is 70 Keep
the skin as clear as constant care can
accomplish. Precisely the manner OF
doing this is matter on which many ex-
perts differ. but with one accord they
agree that the thing TO do is TO use heat
I'm some form or another, causing the
pores 10 open. then the matter can be
extracted. and the pores are again cioseo
by using an astringent.
The two most popular methods of be-
ginning are either 10 wash the face with
hot water until all the pores have ex-
banded or else TO steam. As rule. wash
ing is easiest for persons who have not
a regular s:eaming apparatus. but II
must be. remembered that warm water
VII be Of no service. 1t must be hot,
snd the face can endure many more de-
grees Of heat than can the hands A
large cloth that will hold a quantity of
water, and in which the face can be
buried, will be found the best thing.
When the skin is pink and the pores
open is the time TO extract the black
heads IT VIII be found sometimes If
this hot wash has been given with liquid
green soap that many of the smaller
cxcrescences have disappeared, only the
larger ones needing to be opened. For
this nothing is better than a coarse new
cambric needle. Prick each one. which
will be soft from heat, press out the
matter gently and then touch the spot
with a drop OF cologne saicoiioi tiis.I
acts as an astringent II there are many
blackheads only few should be opened
at time. or the skin will be over irri-
tated. The others may be treated on
the succeeding day.
Some persons advocate opening black
heads with a watchkey, pressing the
round aperture over the swelling. / do
not. for the reason that there is less
chance of the metals being quite clean
antisepticaIly. and that the matter is
less likely to be pressed out. At the
end of the treatment the whole face
should be wiped over with cologne, cold
water or anything that is astringent. to
close 1he pores.
Persons who have a tendency to
blackheads may ward of many by using
"A complexion brush every day. The
friction removes dust. and will also
help 10 promote color.
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