Simple Home Remedies to Treat Whiteheads Naturally – Oily skin people have to go through a lot! Acne, pimples, whiteheads, blackheads make life a lot harder for those with oily skin. But we’ve got your back! Here in this post, you’ll find some easy remedies to treat whiteheads naturally. Whiteheads are a type of acne, but not the big, red, painful ones. Whiteheads appear when dirt, dead ells, oil etc accumulate and clog the pores. Basically, blackheads and whiteheads are same thing and they are formed by clogged pores. Blackheads or open comedones are black in color, because the top of the pore remains open and gets exposed to the air, which results in oxidation process and turns black in color. Pore that is closed completely is called whiteheads or closed comedones. Find out below how to treat whiteheads naturally at home.
Check – How to Use Garlic for Acne Control

Formation of Whiteheads
The sebaceous glands or the oil glands on our skin produce ‘sebum’, which is commonly known as the natural oil of the skin. This oil helps in keeping skin moisturized and also acts as a protective barrier for our skin. But, when sebaceous glands produce excess oil than what is required (due to many factors), that extra oil gets accumulated on the surface of our skin. This normally occurs within the pore structure or the pilosebaceous units (primarily made up of hair shaft, hair follicle and sebaceous gland).
The excess sebum, hair and dead skin cells block the PSU. The bacteria which are naturally present on the outer layer of our skin get attracted to the clogged pores and begin to grow there. This causes inflammation, and when an enlarged hair follicle gets trapped under the skin, it shows up as a white bump, which we call whitehead.
Primary Causes of Whiteheads –
- Excessive sebum production.
- Hormonal changes inside the body.
- Extremely humid weather condition.
- Too much sweating.
- Taking birth control pills.
- Genetic.
- Using wrong cosmetics or skin care products (ideally not meant for oily, acne prone skin).
How to Treat Whiteheads Naturally at Home
1. Use Baking Soda to Treat Whiteheads Naturally
Why it Works?
Baking soda has wonderful exfoliation benefits for our skin. We know, whiteheads, acne etc are formed when the skin pores get clogged by dirt, excess sebum and dead skin cells. Hence, we must clean the pores to get rid of whiteheads and that’s why, exfoliation is important.
The slightly abrasive texture of baking soda provide great exfoliation for our skin and helps to unclog the pores, thus treating whiteheads effectively.
Baking soda come with mild anti bacterial and anti inflammatory benefits, that also help treating acne, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. The anti bacterial benefits of baking soda can kill the acne causing bacteria and give us clear skin. Its anti inflammatory benefits help soothing irritated skin.
Baking soda has drying properties. It can remove the excess oil from the skin and reduces the chances of getting clogged pores, thus reducing the chances of clogged pores.
Maintaining the pH balance of the skin is must to get problem-free skin. Normally, our skin is slightly acidic in nature. Baking soda is amphoteric in nature, which means it can work as an acid or base and helps to neutralize the pH imbalance on the skin.
How to Use Baking Soda to Treat Whiteheads Naturally?
Baking Soda and Water – Take a tsp of baking soda and add some water to that to make a paste. Apply it on the face and massage gently in circular motion with your fingertips. Let it sit on the skin for 5-10 minutes and then wash off with fresh water. Repeat twice or thrice in a week. This is the easiest way to use baking soda to treat whiteheads naturally.
Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar – Mix together one tsp baking soda and few drops of diluted apple cider vinegar to prepare a paste. Apply it on the whiteheads affected areas of the skin and massage gently in circular motion for some time using your fingertips. Keep it on the skin for next few minutes. Wash it off with plain water. Reapply this remedy 2-3 times weekly to treat whiteheads naturally.
Baking Soda and Lemon Juice – Add some lemon juice and a little water to one tsp baking soda. Mix together and apply the resultant mixture on the whiteheads affected area and then massage gently for few minutes. Leave it on the skin for another 5-8 minutes, before washing off with fresh water. Repeat this process twice or thrice in a week to treat whiteheads naturally.
Baking Soda and Tea Tree Oil – Take a tsp of baking soda and add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil and some water to it. Mix together to make a paste. Apply the paste on the whiteheads affected parts and massage the skin gently for few minutes. Let it sit for another few minutes on the skin and then wash off using plain water. Repeat this remedy 2-3 times in a week.
2. Treat Whiteheads Naturally with Lemon Juice
Why it Works?
Lemon juice is a powerful remedy to combat whiteheads. The deep cleansing benefits of lemon juice help to treat whiteheads. Being a great source of citric acid, lemon juice exfoliates the skin, removes impurities and unclogs the pores, thus reducing whiteheads naturally.
Lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C as well, and this vitamin is also highly beneficial to fight off whiteheads. Vitamin C has astringent properties, which helps to absorb excess oil from the skin surface and thus, reduces the chances of whiteheads formation.
Lemon juice comes with natural anti bacterial as well as anti microbial properties. In addition, lemon juice is a source of phytoncides and vitamin P. All these work together to treat acne, blackheads, whiteheads etc and give us healthy, blemish free skin.
Vitamin C is an anti oxidant and it helps flushing out the toxins from the skin as well as boosts new cell growth, thus helping to repair skin damages and treat acne, pimples, whiteheads, blackheads etc.
With its anti oxidant benefits, vitamin C fights off the free radicals and external factors to keep the skin protected against acne, blackheads, whiteheads, dull skin, dry skin, premature aging skin, etc.
Lemon juice has natural astringent benefits. When used on the skin, it helps to remove excess oil from the skin surface and draw out other impurities from the pores, thus reducing whiteheads formation to a good extent.
How to Use Lemon Juice to Treat Whiteheads Naturally?
Apply Diluted Lemon Juice – Extract the juice from half of a fresh lemon. Add a little water to it. Using a cotton ball apply the diluted lemon juice on the whiteheads affected area. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and then wash off with plain water. Repeat this daily to treat whiteheads naturally.
Lemon Juice and Cinnamon Powder – In a bowl, take two tsp lemon juice and one tsp cinnamon powder. Mix them well to prepare a paste. Apply it to the whiteheads affected area and gently massage for couple of minutes. Allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes and then wash off with plain water. Repeat twice or thrice in a week to treat whiteheads naturally.
Lemon Juice and Turmeric Powder – Take a tsp of turmeric powder and add few drops of lemon juice to it to prepare a thick paste. Massage the paste onto the whiteheads affected parts and keep it on for few minutes. Wash off with plain water. Repeat twice or thrice in a week.
Lemon Juice and Orange Peel Powder – In a bowl, take 1 tsp orange peel powder. Add some diluted lemon juice to it and prepare a paste. Apply it evenly all over the face and gently massage for exfoliation. Wash it off with fresh, cool water and repeat this process twice or thrice in a week to treat whiteheads naturally.
Also read
Honey for Acne Treatment – Benefits and How to Use
Watermelon for Skin Care – Benefits and How to Use
Simple DIY Overnight Face Mask Recipes for Healthy Skin
3. Use Strawberries to Treat Whiteheads Naturally
Why it works?
Strawberries come with excellent exfoliating benefits for our skin. Mashed strawberries are often used as homemade face scrub due to its mild abrasive texture. Being acidic in nature, it helps in cleansing the excess oil from the skin surface. Plus it contains salicylic acid which is another great exfoliator for our skin. Salicylic acid helps to exfoliate and purify the skin. It removes the dead skin cells as well as other impurities from the skin and combats acne, whiteheads, blackheads etc.
Strawberries are one of the best natural sources of vitamin C, and this vitamin comes with astringent properties. It helps to keep oil at bay and prevents excess oil accumulation on the skin. This helps to avoid whiteheads formation.
Strawberries are loaded with AHAs as well. These alpha hydroxy acids are extremely beneficial for our skin. They exfoliate our skin chemically and help unclogging pores. Plus, these AHA help to fight off the free radicals and protect the skin from several damages, including breakouts, premature aging, etc.
Regular application of strawberry face scrub is highly effective get rid of acne, blackheads and pimples by opening up the pores and removing the impurities stuck in them. This way, strawberries cleanses the skin deeply and improves skin health.
Strawberries are known for their complexion boosting properties. It is enriched with vitamin C, an anti oxidant that helps with cell renewal process to improve complexion. Strawberries also contain folic acid, that helps in promoting healthy cell regeneration and improving our complexion. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids present in strawberry also helps to achieve lighter as well as brighter complexion.
Along with these, ellagic acid found in strawberries also helps to achieve youthful and healthy skin by healing damaged skin cells.
How to Use Strawberries to Treat Whiteheads Naturally?
Apply Mashed Strawberry – Take 1-2 fresh strawberries and cut them in small pieces. Mash them with a fork and prepare a paste. You can blend the strawberry pieces to prepare the scrub. Apply the mashed strawberries on your face and massage gently with your fingertips. Let it sit on the skin for 5-8 minutes and then wash off with fresh water. Repeat twice in a week.
Strawberry and Rice Flour – Take 1-2 fresh strawberries and cut them into small pieces. Prepare strawberry pulp by blending them. Add a tbsp rice flour to that and mix together. Apply this onto the face and gently massage for few minutes to exfoliate the skin. Keep it on the skin for 5-8 minutes. Wash off with plain water and repeat this procedure twice or thrice in a week to treat whiteheads naturally.
Strawberry and Kiwi Fruit – Take a kiwi fruit as well as couple of strawberries and cut them into small pieces. Put them in a blender and blend together. Take it out and add a tsp sandalwood powder to that. Mix together and apply this mixture all over the face. Massage for 2-3 minutes to exfoliate the skin and then wait for another few minutes before washing off. Use this face scrub twice in a week.
Strawberry and Sea Salt – Take a couple of fresh strawberries and cut them in small pieces. Mash them with a fork and prepare a paste. Add some sea salt to that and mix together. Massage the resultant mixture onto the face to exfoliate for 2-3 minutes. Wait for another few minutes before washing off with fresh water. Repeat twice in a week.
4. Treat Whiteheads Naturally with Tea Tree Essential Oil
Why it Works?
Tea tree oil, as most of us already know, has wonderful benefits for our skin. It works particularly well for those with oily and acne prone skin. This essential oil is enriched with anti microbial, anti septic, anti inflammatory and anti fungal benefits, that work together to help us achieve a blemish free skin.
When we apply tea tree oil on the skin, it penetrates through the pores deeply and disinfect them. Also, it can dissolve the impurities stuck in the pores and unclog them, to help us get rid of acne, blackheads, whiteheads etc. It has anti inflammatory benefits that help reducing the inflammation of the skin and gives a soothing relief from the irritation.
Furthermore, tea tree essential oil comes with astringent properties, which makes it ideal for oily and acne prone skin. Tea tree oil helps to get rid of the excess oil present on the skin surface, thus reducing the chances of blackheads formation. Also, it refines pores sizes and smoothens our skin texture.
Being a natural astringent, tea tree oil also helps to dry out active acne fast. Studies have proved that tea tree oil is more effective than benzoyl peroxide when it comes to acne treatment. Benzoyl peroxide is a well known acne fighting ingredient, however it can cause some serious side effects, such as skin rashes, dry skin. On the other hand, tea tree oil does its job without irritating the skin.
How to Use Tea Tree Essential Oil to Treat Whiteheads Naturally?
Apply Tea Tree Oil – Take 3-4 drops of tea tree oil and apply that onto the whiteheads affected parts. Let it get absorbed by the skin. Do this twice daily.
Tea Tree Oil and Lemon Juice – Take a tsp of fresh lemon juice and mix it with 4-5 drops of tea tree oil. Apply that on the affected parts of the face and keep it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with fresh water and repeat this remedy every alternate day.
Tea Tree Oil and Honey – Take a tsp honey and add 5-6 drops of tea tree oil to it. Mix together and massage this mixture on the face. Leave it on for some time and then wash off with plain water. Repeat every alternate day.
Tea Tree Oil and Sandalwood Powder – Make a paste by adding some water to a tsp sandalwood powder. Add few drops of tea tree oil to that and mix together everything. Apply the resultant mixture on the face and massage gently to exfoliate. Wait for few minutes and then wash off with plain water. Repeat this process twice or thrice in a week to treat whiteheads naturally.
Tea Tree Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar – Mix together a tsp of apple cider vinegar and few drops of tea tree oil together. Using a cotton ball, apply this on the whiteheads affected parts of the face and let it dry naturally. Wash off with fresh water and repeat everyday.
These were few simple DIY remedies to treat whiteheads naturally. Whiteheads are not easily visible, but that doesn’t make them any less irritating than those big, ugly acne. After all, why not strive for completely clear skin, right? Try these remedies and you’ll definitely see the results. Remember, patience is the key here!