1) Preventing Blackheads
The best way to get rid of blackheads is to prevent them from ever happening in the first place! This starts with good prevention. The number one step you can take to prevent blackheads is washing your face with a mild soap that doesn’t leave a residual layer of soap. Cetaphil is my personal favorite, but others may also be effective.
For more stubborn blackheads, more drastic measures may need to be taken. If you have read through this site, you probably know that I am a big fan of facial pore mask. After regular washing, I feel that nothing prevents clogged pores better than a clay facial mask. These masks have been used since time immemorial to absorb oil and dirt from deep within the pores, stopping blackheads before they happen.
Another line of defense is to exfoliate regularly. Exfoliation removes dead and dying skin cells, exposing younger ones. This is beneficial for two reasons. One, it exposes any newly forming blackheads to your soap and clay face mask and two, it removes some of the detritus that clogs pores in the first place. This one-two punch is a great measure against closed comedones.
2) Removing Blackheads
No matter how rigorous the prevention regime, a few blemishes will still pop up on our noses or chins. That is just the depressing truth. My first piece of advise is to just leave it alone until it heals. To speed things up, you can try taking a steamy shower and/or apply a warm washcloth to your face to loosen up the clogged pore. After a few minutes the blackhead might be removed by very gently rubbing your skin with a cloth.
As a practical matter, however, I realize that always taking the patient approach is nigh impossible. The world does not stop turning for a blackhead. There are still meetings to attend, nights out with friends and dates to take care of and comedomes do not often fit in with that equation.
No matter how tempting, whatever you do, do not use your fingers to pop it. Why? Look at the infected pore. Now look at your finger. Notice how much bigger your finger and fingernail is compared to the pore. That means that you won’t be able to precisely target the clogged pore while leaving the healthy skin unscathed. Using your fingers to get rid of a blackhead is akin to using a sledgehammer to hang a picture on the wall!
If you absolutely must get rid of a clogged pore immediately, you should definitely use a blackhead remover. As always, follow the instructions regarding the operation of the remover. Just remember, comedones are an infection, so take the proper precautions to prevent spreading the offending bacteria. Always sterilize the blackhead remover before using. And remember, using a remover should be used only for “emergencies” and not part of your regular skin care routine.
Before we move on, a word on pore strips. Some people swear by these, but they have never worked for me — all they do for me is redden and irritate my nose. But they do work for some of my friends and clients. So, you may want to try them to get rid of blackheads, but don’t expect miracles.
3) Healing Blackheads
After the offending blackhead has been removed, how can we promote healing of the now empty pore? Proper healing will limit unsightly redness that often lingers on for days and, hopefully, prevent it from coming back. The number one thing to remember is that blackheads are an infection, so be careful to avoid contaminating your uninfected, healthy skin. We need to contain the damage to the smallest area possible.
The first step to recovery is to disinfect the now-empty pore. Apply a small amount of gentle, antibacterial cream or foam. You can find these at most drug stores. Remember, as always, avoid harsh products that leave your face red and raw.
If at all possible, avoid applying makeup to the affected area. You definitely do not want clog up the empty pore with makeup and cause the problem to start anew! Along the same lines, avoid exposing your open pore to a lot of dirt and dust. No need to sleep in a bubble or anything, just try to avoid very greasy or dirty conditions. As a matter of fact, you should probably avoid these conditions even when you do not have an open pore.
It is impossible to say how long it will take for the removed blackhead to heal. I’ve noticed that there is a lot of variability on my face depending on it was on my forehead or nose. This variability is even more pronounced from person to person. Just keep an eye on it and once it looks healed it is OK to treat it normally again. Just remember to keep up your prevention efforts. The battle against blackheads never ends, but it can be a winning one if you follow these steps.
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