Are Pore Vacuums Effective at Clearing Pores and Blackheads? In short, yes. “Pore vacuums certainly can be an effective tool in helping to regularly clear pore congestion, however they're not essential component to a skincare routine,” says Dr. Reszko.
According to board-certified dermatologists Joshua Zeichner, MD and Lily Talakoub, MD, the answer is generally yes. "Pore vacuums offer mild suction to help remove blackheads from the skin," Dr. Zeichner explains.
“It is possible for the device to exacerbate skincare issues like rosacea or active acne,” says Diaz. [The pore vacuum] could also cause mild irritation like redness and/or broken capillaries or bruising if the setting is too intense or the person has very sensitive skin."
It's an effective skin cleansing method, but its effects are temporary and by no means a quick fix for long-term skin problems like acne. However, a pore vacuum may be beneficial if you have stubborn pores that often clog or for people prone to picking at their face.
The recommended use is 1-2 times per week. How should you prepare the skin to assist with extraction? Cleanse and either have a steamy shower or steam bath to help loosen impurities within the pores. Are Pore Vacuums safe to use?
Pore vacuums are generally safe to use on blackheads and whiteheads, but not deep-rooted or very inflamed pimples. Be gentle. The biggest risks come from holding the vacuum in one spot for too long and turning the suction up too high. The result is bruising and broken blood vessels.
Poor results are only one of the risks of trying to vacuum your pores yourself – or have it done by someone without experience. If too much suction is applied to the skin you can suffer bruising or a condition called telangiectasias. “Telangiectasias are small broken blood vessels in the skin,” said Rice.
While pores are a necessity to your skin health, they can come in different sizes. Nose pores are naturally larger than those that are located on other parts of your skin. This is because the sebaceous glands underneath them are larger, too.
How often should I suction my face? King doesn't recommend suctioning your face. Instead, she recommends other options, such as retinoids and salicylic acid. If you do want to try suctioning, she suggests limiting it to once per week.
For starters, you should wash your face and disinfect the tip of the pore vacuum to ensure that you're working with a clean, germ-free surface and tool. Secondly, Dr. Zalka recommends gently steaming your face to 'open up' the pores and loosen the debris deep within.
Studies have also shown that large, cystic comedones can be successfully treated with the help of a blackhead extractor. Blackhead extractor tools are readily available online or in pharmacies, and are effective at removing both blackheads and whiteheads.
Whiteheads occur when a hair follicle/sebaceous gland becomes inflamed. Inflammation can occur as a result of: Increased sebum (oily material produced by the sebaceous gland) production. Abnormal formation of keratin (the protein that helps make your hair, skin and nails).
No pore is safe
Let's put it this way, most skin care pros don't even use metal extractors. Why? Because they are dangerous. They dent in the skin and have no "give," meaning they can push dirt and debris further into the pore, causing infections and even more breakouts.
After using a pore cleansing tool, be sure to disinfect and apply moisturizer to soothe your skin. It may feel a little red and tender after the treatment.
According to Zeichner, you should start a vacuum once per week at first, as your skin begins to tolerate it, before progressing to twice or three times per week.
How do you get rid of deep blackheads? Deep blackheads should be removed by a medical professional — usually a dermatologist or medical aesthetician. They use a small tool with rigid metal loops on the ends (blackhead or comedo extractor) to apply even pressure to your blackheads.
Pore strips aim to shrink pores and remove blackheads from skin.
Pus, a thick, white substance made up of bacteria and white blood cells, sometimes fills the pimple.
The technical term for an acne seed is a microcomedone. A microcomedone is a cluster of mostly dead skin cells that might be mixed with oil and comedogenic ingredients from pore-clogging products. It's called a micro-comedone because when it first forms, it is microscopic so it's invisible to the naked eye.
'Petroleum jelly dilutes the dried up oxidized oil, creating a hard-topped plug of oil in the pore which is then easier to squeeze out and clear. '
As a general rule, you should never attempt to pop your pimple yourself. If you attempt to pop a pimple and end up breaking your skin barrier, you risk permanent acne scarring.
Don't pop or squeeze pus-filled pimples
You can cause the bacteria to spread and the inflammation to worsen.