How to Get Rid of Blackheads

by Ida Posted on November 3, 2011

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

I hate the blackheads on my nose and t-zone area, I really do. They make my face feel bumpy and rough, and become even more emphasized when I put on foundation. To make things a little harder, my skin tends to be dry and the blackheads are hard and dry themselves, and therefore more stubborn and difficult to remove. It’s like they’re really stuck in there. I had resorted to some ways which weren’t really effective, but recently I chanced upon a video on youtube about skin care, and was inspired to do some research on how to get rid of blackheads. Some methods work for me, some don’t. Everyone’s skin is different, so I think finding out which methods are right for you still involves trial and error.

Some quick (and obvious) ways are to:

Use a nose strip. Lots of these available at any mall, and are mostly inexpensive. Though these don’t remove all blackheads, it definitely removes some, which you’ll see on the peeled-off nose strip.
Exfoliate. Use a face scrub or exfoliate manually using a washcloth. This should loosen blackheads and get rid of some of them, and also slough off any dead cells and dirt.

Squeeze them out. Make sure to wash your hands and face beforehand to lessen the chances of developing pimples or acne. If you’ll be squeezing out your blackheads, I also suggest wiping the area with toner before and after.
Apply a clay mask. This can help remove some blackheads, as well as make the skin feel softer and look brighter.
Get a facial. A facial that involves pricking should get rid of almost all the blackheads on your face and exfoliate your skin very well.

If you’ve done most of these steps, like I have, you’ll know that afterwards, your pores will look much cleaner. But doing these things won’t get rid of blackheads for good. They’ll come back within a few days or a week.

While there’s no permanent, one-step solution, incorporating certain skin care ingredients into your regimen should help keep blackheads under control. What ingredients would that be?

Use a product with salicylic acid. This is something that I discovered and have started doing recently, and I’m happy to say that it works for me. I reviewed a product before called Alba Botanica Natural Acnedote Invisible Treatment Gel, which contains 2% salicylic acid and is meant to be used for spot treatment. I started applying this on my nose nightly, then reduced it to every other night. 50% to 60% of the blackheads on my nose are gone, and continue to be gone. And the remaining ones I find easier to remove compared to the more stubborn ones I had before. This is really worth a try. If you decide to try this, look for a product with salicylic acid content that you think will suit your skin type, and moisturize because salicylic acid can be drying.
Try something that contains AHA or Alpha Hydroxy Acid. AHA can help exfoliate and get rid of dead cells and dirt that can clog the pores and cause blackheads.
Use products with Glycolic Acid. Glycolic Acid is used in chemical peels, but can also be included in at-home skin care products. Glycolic Acid can help loosen and exfoliate the top layer of the skin,and therefore an also clear pores and make skin look overall clearer.
Try a product with retinoids. Some over-the-counter and drugstore items contain a percentage of retinoids, while some have to be prescribed. This ingredient can help slow oil production and therefore lessen the chances of new blackheads from developing. However, it may cause dry skin and can take some time to show results.

So generally, while quick fixes bring visible, immediate results, they don’t prevent new blackheads from forming. What’s still best, as I’ve personally found out, is to try to look for a long-term solution—to prevent blackheads from forming at all and maintaining a regimen using a product with one of the ingredients mentioned above. I hope these tips helped.

Image Sources: 1, 2

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