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.
This type of acne develops when oil (sebum) and dead skin cells combine to form a plug that clogs your pores. Sometimes, cleansing and exfoliating may be enough to loosen the plug and draw it out. But if the plug hardens, or it's too deep to access, you might not be able to remove the blackhead on your own.
'You should absolutely not squeeze blackheads. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin,' she says. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin.
A dermatologist can help rid your skin of blackheads. “There are in-office treatments that can help diminish the appearance of pores,” Suozzi points out. These include nonablative resurfacing (aka laser treatments) such as Fraxel laser or Clear + Brilliant laser or microneedling.
Via Refinery29, Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., agrees that after the clay mask brings all the junk to the surface, physical massage can "indeed dislodge clogged pores and whatever's inside them."
Cleansing. Washing your back with a cleanser containing salicylic acid has the potential to break down oil and dead skin cells that cause blackheads. It also helps promote skin peeling , which treats blackheads and other types of acne.
A key component for home care is salicylic acid, which can help exfoliate the skin and reduce blemish-causing bacteria. It is also important to choose skincare products with noncomedogenic ingredients that will not clog pores and to avoid greasy products that can worsen blackheads and other types of blemishes.
It's actually completely normal for you to have some holes initially after removing blackheads. This is because the dirt and debris filling the pore is suddenly gone, leaving a small space.
Do dermatologists recommend using pore vacuums? In short, yes. Since these vacuums make the process of unclogging pores and clearing skin a lot faster and easier, many experts have given at-home devices an official nod of approval.
Use toothpaste on your nose
Mix half a tablespoon of toothpaste with one part of salt. Rub this scrub on your nose, leave for five to ten minutes, and then gently scrub your face to remove the blackheads. This helps get rid of blackheads effectively.
During extraction, the therapist uses a special blackhead tool to apply pressure to your nose to loosen and release the sebum from your pores. After the facial you may notice a bit of redness from the pressure, but this dies down within the day.
Jojoba oil is an essential oil that reduces the amount of excess sebum through absorbing. And excess sebum is what clogs pores and creates blackheads. All you have to do is wash your face with warm water and massage a few drops of Jojoba oil onto your skin. Leave on for five to ten minutes and then rinse off.
Squeezing blackheads out with your fingers might be one of the more satisfying ways to remove them, but Dr. King warns that it's not a good idea. "Squeezing blackheads can traumatize the skin, introduce bacteria and damage the pore,which can spread debris and bacteria deeper into the tissue," she says.
Next, the esthetician uses cotton- or tissue-wrapped fingers to apply gentle pressure to each blackhead or blemish. Some estheticians may also use a small metal tool called a comedone extractor to release the blackhead plug from the pore.
But it can be expensive, costing around $100 to $200 per session. Or you can try topical treatments, which will take longer to work but are cost-effective and will do the most for you in the long run, since they can prevent future blackheads from forming.
"I would never recommend this method to any patient," San Francisco-based dermatologist William Kwan, MD, told Health. "Vaseline can clog pores and applying plastic wrap is physically occluding the pores.
Benefits: It's cleansing. Steam opens up pores and helps loosen any buildup of dirt for a deeper cleanse. Opening up your pores also softens blackheads which make them easier to remove.
Due to its bleaching properties, using hydrogen peroxide to remove blackheads has been a common practice in skin care circles. Simply diluting it with water and applying it to the face after cleansing and exfoliating can give remarkable results, from removing blackheads to reducing scars.