Blackheads are one of the biggest skin problems that most college-age women face. I’ve gotten quite a few emails asking about how to get rid of blackheads, and I have to say, I used to struggle with them myself!
I have an embarrassing story about how I found out I had blackheads in the first place. I guess you could say I was in “blackhead denial.”
It started out innocently enough – I was hanging out with my boyfriend one weekend, goofing around. All of a sudden, he stared at my face with a scrutinizing look. Pressing his finger up against my nose, he said “by the way, how do you get rid of those things?” I think you can guess what he meant.
Yes, he was pointing at blackheads. Skin flaws that even I, Ms. Perfectionist, hadn’t thought about before! I knew I didn’t have flawless skin, but couldn’t believe something so tiny would be noticeable. I was so upset and embarrassed that I not only chewed my boyfriend out for pointing them out, but became completely self conscious about my “blackhead problem.” From then on, I developed a complex (and an intimate relationship with my magnifying mirror) and became obsessed with getting rid of them.
Since that fateful day, I’ve done tons of research, learning what those little black dots on your nose are and how to get rid of them! Although my boyfriend’s comment partially traumatized me, on the plus side, my skin is looking a lot better now and blackheads are no longer an issue.
If you want to get rid of blackheads yourself, or just want to know how to keep them away, read on!
Table of Contents
Tips for Getting Rid of Blackheads
Check your makeup
The truth is, what you put on to cover blackheads up might actually be causing more of them! If you wear lots of heavy foundation or use thick face creams, you could be contributing to the problem with your products! In general, if you have a problem with greasy skin and clogged pores, consider using as few products as you can. The fewer layers of stuff that you put on your face, the better.
Lots of water and healthy eating
Cliche’, maybe, but it’s so true. What you put into your body shows on the outside. Simple as that. If you eat lots of greasy crap, your skin is not going to look as good as it would if you ate more veggies and drank more water.
Use BHA for blackheads
BHA stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid, which is an exfoliant that removes the dead layer of skin from your face. If you’ve ever seen a skincare product that contains salicylic acid, that’s BHA. BHA is important for getting rid of blackheads because it goes into your pores to clean out the excess oil and dead skin cells that make up blackheads.
A great BHA product that I use is Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Anti Blemish Daily Moisturizer. I put it on at night after washing my face, and when I wake up, my skin always looks better and better. I have less blackheads, and as a bonus, my skin is clearer and softer than it was before!
Do a clay mask once a week
This is only for those of you with oily or combination skin. Dry skin, obviously, needs all the oil it can get. Blackheads are partially caused by excess oil on your face, so if you have greasy skin, a good quality clay mask will help sop up some of the grease and keep your pores clearer. Using it once a week is enough – you don’t want to over-dry your skin, because this could lead to even more problems!
Don’t bother with a pore strip
First of all, they’re basically useless for getting rid of anything that’s stuck deep in your pores. Second of all, they can actually damage your skin! I know these things look like miracle products, but save your money because they aren’t really going to help.
Squeeze, but do it carefully!
This is one situation where picking your face may actually help instead of making things worse. Don’t take this as permission to pick at your face all you want! There is a right and a wrong way to squeeze blackheads and it’s really important that you do it the right way.
First, wash your face with a gentle cleanser. (I like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.) Next, cover your face with a warm, wet cloth for 10 to 15 minutes. Pat your face dry, then wrap tissues around your fingers to prevent slippage. Use GENTLE pressure to press down then up around the sides of the blackhead. If nothing happens after one or two tries, stop. That means the blackhead isn’t ready to come out yet. Whatever you do, don’t pinch, use your nails or press too hard. This can damage your skin and might even lead to scars!
See a dermatologist
If all else fails, a derm can really help you out. They can prescribe things like Retin-A, antibiotics or Accutane, which can all help with blackheads. Procedures like microdermabrasion are also said to be effective, but I recommend trying the above steps first because the problem can usually clear itself up without these extreme treatments.
At the end of the day, blackheads are kind of an ongoing battle. For those of us who are prone to them, light makeup, gentle cleansers and BHA treatments are necessary to get rid of them and keep them away. There isn’t any magical cure that will rid you of them forever, but taking good care of you skin on an ongoing basis will work wonders.
Have you ever had a problem with blackheads? How do you get rid of blackheads? Do you recommend any products to help with the problem? Let me know in the comments!
What’s up it’s me, I am also visiting this web
page regularly, this website is truly good and the
visitors are actually sharing fastidious thoughts.
eating healthy and detoxing my liver has made a huge difference for me in treating blackheads and preventing them.
I’m not sure why but this website is loading incredibly slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later on
and see if the problem still exists.
Hi,
I buy vitamin e capsules from the shop, and apply the vitamin on my nose before bed. Wake up and the blackheads are gone!!!!!!!!!!!! (large ones tend to shrink so after 2 days theyre gone). BUT IT WORKS!!!!!!
I have had issues with acne since i was 11 years old and im now 17 and my mom who is 49 still gets blackheads on her nose and chin i like the borie strips they are perfect right after a shower but i also found that if your in a rush to get the dead skin off and the oil use non toxic glue like elmers and spread it over the area wait till it dries then peel it off it wont get rid of the black heads but it helps make them look smaller if you have them in your ears pop them after you take a shower a very hot shower lay down with your head in someones lap and have them push around the blackhead with the rounded end of a bobby pin and it comes out quick a blackhead clearing scrub is all that has ever worked for me and the clean and clear acne medicine that you get in a small tube but they never go away completely and it sucks but its life
I also have lots of blackheads and bought so many creamsthat never did anything. I found a tool (the Squeezit) that squeezes out the blackheads and doesn’t leave marks on my face. It’s like using fingers but way better. It comes with a part attached for the corners of the nose. It worked great for me but you do have to wash face, steam or hot shower or use a hot towel on your face for a few minutes before you use it.
Have you ever tried filling up a sink with hot water, putting the part of your face with the blackheads underwater, (of course if you can’t breathe come up for air whenever you need to) for about 3 minutes. Then wash your face with a good face soap for about 3 min. Fill up the sink with cold water and dunk your face again. Do this method for about a week, and I noticed a difference!
I’m 14 and I know some of the comments said the Biore strips didn’t work for them, but they do for me. My guess is it just depends on the person. I started having blackheads about two years ago on my chin, and they gradually spread to my nose. The worst spots were around the crease on either side, and I had so much dead skin there I just couldn’t get rid of, so the blackheads kept coming. I used one of the strips, and noticed a huge difference immediately. ALL of the dead skin was gone, and with it so were a lot of the blackheads. The key is to leave it on for 15 minutes, not just 10, and not wetting the strip when taking it off. Yes, it hurts, but it’s worth it. I use the strips frequently now, and my nose keeps getting better, but I have yet to find something that works that well on my chin.
That’s cool!! I have had acne for 3 years And I use “ivory soap” it works soo good!! I meen I started seeing results in one day AMAZING!! I sugjust that but black head are still my issue so I’m thinking about going to the germataligist.
Great article! You can get some microderm kits (Mary Kay has a great one) for about $50. Expensive as far as OTC skin care goes, but a lot cheaper than getting a facial every month.
oh and you can get clinique from department stores
I am 24 years old and I HATE my blackheads and am so self conscious over them! But now i am feeling well to see these valuable tips, i will apply on my daily life. Thanks
if you use a thin layer of Elmer’s glue, it works similar to a pore strip but wont tear your skin off. wash the area after and moisturize if needed
Hey, I am 13, and my mom keeps on telling me that I have acne, but it is actually blackheads. I have been exfoliating my face every other day with Biore, Nutrogena, and baking soda (depends which one i used prior) and then i wash my face with a Nutrogena acne cleanser pad. None of these help with my blackheads! Any easy tips?
A little tip I’d like to pass on that I’m pretty certain helped me clear up a lot of my blackheads and spots and especially blackheads in ear was to stop using soap.
I simply started washing my face, ears and neck with just warm water and I started to see a reduction in the amount of zits and blackheads I got.
I was wondering about the “Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Anti Blemish Daily Moisturizer” since I use BB cream daily, it is recommended to NOT sleep with it, but in this guide it you sleep with the moisturize on, i’m not familiar with this product but it sounds just like BB cream and was wondering if it was okay to sleep with this product on your face. I would like my skin to be moisturized/conditioned almost 24/7 (so my skin can improve quicker).
My question is: is that particular product okay to sleep with it on? If so I plan to buy it so I have some cream/moisturizer on my face keeping/making it silky smooth all day. Thanks!