Whiteheads vs Blackheads: Difference and Comparison

The skin of an individual happens to be the most precious part of the body for some people, but to our dissatisfaction, not always the skin happens to be in its best form.

A very common issue, but the skin of many people happens to be acne, and there can be many types of this particular problem.  

Whiteheads and blackheads are basically two varieties of acne that can be found in many people. Some people tend to use these two terms interchangeably, but the reality is that these two terms differ from one another so much. 

Key Takeaways

1. Whiteheads are closed comedones, while blackheads are open comedones.
2. Blackheads are dark due to oxidation, while whiteheads remain white or skin-colored.
3. Both types of acne can be treated with regular cleansing, exfoliating, and over-the-counter or prescription treatments.

Whiteheads vs Blackheads 

A whitehead occurs when the pore is completely blocked, while a blackhead occurs when the pore is partially blocked. Whiteheads appear as small, white, or flesh-colored bumps on the skin’s surface. Blackheads are caused by excess oil production and the buildup of dead skin cells.

Whiteheads are simply some hair follicles on the skin of an individual that becomes clogged due to certain reasons.

A very distinguished feature about these follicles is that they stay hidden inside their skin and do not expose themselves to the outer atmosphere. Because of this particular reason, these follicles do not turn into any darker shade and remain whitish in color. 

But on the other hand, Blackheads are those follicles that somehow get exposed in the air and, because of certain specific reasons, turn into a darker shade of color.

These are very similar to whiteheads but differ in terms of certain properties, color shades, etc. Because of being exposed to the atmosphere for too long, their color changes, and they become something that looks like black. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Whiteheads	Blackheads
Meaning	The term refers to certain hair follicles inside of a person’s skin	the term refers to certain hair follicles found outside of a person’s skin
Position	these follicles are present inside the skin and happen to be hidden	these follicles are present outside the skin and happen to be exposed
Colour	whitish in color	blackish in color
Causes	excess production of sebum on the skin can be the reason behind this disease	The presence of Propionibacterium acne bacteria on the skin of a person can be a reason behind this disease
Other names	Closed skin follicle	open skin follicle

What are Whiteheads? 

At certain times, the excess sebum produced on the skin of a person or the dead cells of the skin may clog some of the pores of the skin, and due to this particular process, the skin pores become clogged and eventually covered by a thin layer of the skin.

When these clogged pores are covered by the skin, they appear just like a bump up on the skin, and no one can actually see what is behind those bumps. 

Such bumps are known as whiteheads and can occur in many people between the age of 18 to 26. These are also known as closed skin follicles because they do not expose themselves in the outer atmosphere and stay hidden inside the skin of a person.

In most cases, whiteheads affect the face, neck, chest, etc. 

After certain scientific studies, it has been found that the excess production of sebum in the skin of a person can cause whiteheads, but in reality, there can be many other reasons behind this particular situation.

For example, there can be hereditary reasons, or these can also be caused by certain medicines or due to hormonal changes. 

What are Blackheads? 

When some of the skin pores become clogged due to certain reasons, there is a probability that they appear right on the surface of the skin.

These particular follicles that appear on the surface of the skin are known as blackheads, and as the name suggests, they happen to be blackish in color.  

The reason behind their particular color is that due to being exposed to the atmosphere, they gain certain colors because of pollution and many other factors.

In most cases, it is found that blackheads affect the nose of a person, but the probability of these affecting other parts of the body cannot be denied at any cost as it is a form of acne and can occur to almost any person on any part of his body.  

Although there can be many reasons behind how this particular situation occurs but the most prominent one among them is the presence of Propionibacterium acne bacteria on the skin of a person.

Also, if the dead cells on the skin of a person do not go away by themselves, they can also lead towards this particular situation. 

Main Differences Between Whiteheads and Blackheads 

1. Whiteheads refer to those hair follicles that are found inside of a person’s skin, while on the other hand, Blackheads are found outside of a person’s skin. 
2. Whiteheads stay hidden inside the skin while, on the other hand, Blackheads stay exposed on the skin. 
3. Whiteheads happen to be whitish in color, while on the other hand, Blackheads happen to be blackish in color. 
4. Whiteheads are also known as closed skin follicles while on the other hand, Blackheads are also known as open skin follicles. 
5. Whiteheads are caused because of the excess production of sebum, while on the other hand, Blackheads occur due to the presence of a particular bacteria on the skin. 

References

1. https://www.getroman.com/health-guide/blackhead-vs-whitehead-vs-pimple/ 
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2133.2000.03531.x