A basic understanding of blackheads might help, though, to set you on the right path before booking your aesthetics consultation. To begin, it’s important to acknowledge that your skin’s natural oils (also called sebum) is at the root of your blackhead woes. Excess oil production can make skin sticky and prevent dry or dead skin cells from flaking away. This mixture of oil and skin cells collects and settles into open pores. Unlike whiteheads, where pore openings are blocked and bacteria becomes a concern, blackheads exist in open pores. When oxygen comes into contact with this combination of oil and skin cells, it becomes oxidized and appears black. Finally, because oil production is the main culprit here, blackheads tend to be concentrated around the nose, chin, and center of the forehead—you may know it by the T-zone—where skin naturally produces the most oil.