Like pimples, blackheads are one of those annoying skin blemishes you wish would just disappear the moment they appear. Before you try painful squeezing or pore strips, I'll show you five simple tips here to easily remove blackheads.
Removing Blackheads: Tips at a Glance
Blackheads generally cannot be removed overnight. However, with the right skincare, you can counteract clogged pores and prevent existing blackheads in the long term. Salicylic acid (BHA) is particularly suitable for blackheads because it is oil-soluble and can dissolve dead skin cells inside the pores.
The five most important tips against blackheads are:
- Cleanse your skin gently to remove excess sebum, sunscreen, and makeup.
- Use salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin cells and counteract clogged pores.
- Integrate a retinoid into your skincare routine if needed.
- Provide your skin with sufficient moisture instead of aggressively drying it out.
- Use sunscreen daily, especially if active ingredients are part of your routine.
What Are Blackheads?
Blackheads, also known as comedones, occur when a hair follicle or its opening becomes clogged by sebum and dead skin cells. They occur particularly frequently in areas with many sebaceous glands – for example, on the nose, forehead, and chin.
Blackheads are among the non-inflammatory skin blemishes. They can occur individually, but can also be a component of acne-prone skin.
Blackheads or Clogged Pores: How to Tell The Difference
The terms blackhead and clogged pore are often used synonymously. Strictly speaking, however, a clogged pore or a clogged follicle is the process from which a blackhead can develop.
If sebum and keratinized skin cells collect in the follicle, a so-called comedone is formed. Depending on whether its opening is open or closed, it is referred to as a blackhead or a whitehead.
Visible or enlarged-looking pores, on the other hand, are not automatically clogged. The size and visibility of the pores are influenced, among other things, by genetic factors and sebum production.
Whiteheads and Blackheads: The Difference
Basically, a distinction is made between open and closed blackheads:
- Blackheads are open comedones. The contents of the follicle come into contact with oxygen at the surface and oxidize. This creates the characteristic dark coloration. Blackheads are therefore not black because there is dirt in the pore.
- Whiteheads are closed comedones. The follicle opening is covered by a thin layer of skin, usually appearing as a small skin-colored or whitish bump.
Both forms arise from similar processes, but can look very different visually.
Why Do Blackheads Occur?
Blackheads develop when too much sebum and dead skin cells clog the hair follicle. Various factors can play a role here.
Increased sebum production can, for example, be genetically determined or influenced by hormonal changes. At the same time, altered keratinization can lead to dead skin cells not being shed sufficiently and accumulating in the follicle.
The skincare used can also play a role. Very rich products or products unsuitable for your own skin can promote blemishes in predisposed skin.
It is important to note, however, that blackheads are not a sign of poor hygiene. Washing too frequently or aggressive cleansing can irritate the skin and are therefore not a suitable solution.
Removing Blackheads: 5 Helpful Tips
Instead of regularly squeezing out blackheads, a long-term skincare routine is worth it. The following five steps can help to reduce existing clogs and prevent new blackheads.
1. Gently Cleanse the Skin
Thorough cleansing removes excess sebum, dirt, makeup, and sunscreen from the skin. However, you do not need aggressive or strongly degreasing cleansing products for this.
Use a mild cleanser that suits your skin type. In the evening, you should completely remove makeup and sunscreen. If you wear a lot of or waterproof makeup or SPF, a cleansing oil or balm as a first step can make sense. You can then follow up with a water-based cleanser.
Aggressive scrubs, vigorous rubbing, and frequent washing, on the other hand, do not remove blackheads faster and can additionally strain the skin barrier.
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2. Use Salicylic Acid against Blackheads
Salicylic acid, also known as BHA, is one of the most well-known active ingredients against blackheads and clogged pores. Unlike water-soluble AHAs, salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate sebum-rich follicles and help dissolve accumulated dead skin cells there.
Used regularly, salicylic acid can improve the appearance of blackheads and clogged pores. The active ingredient is therefore particularly interesting for oily, blemished, and blackhead-prone skin.
You can find BHA in toners, serums, and liquid exfoliants, for example.
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How Often Should Salicylic Acid Be Used Against Blackheads?
How often you should use salicylic acid depends on the concentration, formulation, and individual tolerance of your skin. Therefore, initially orient yourself to the application instructions of the respective product.
If your skin is not yet used to acids, you can start with a few applications per week and observe how it reacts. If it tolerates the product well, the frequency of application can potentially be increased depending on the formulation.
More is not automatically better: Over-exfoliating can lead to dryness, stinging, and irritation.
3. Retinoids for Clogged Pores
Retinoids can also be useful for skin prone to comedones. Among other things, they influence skin renewal and keratinization processes and can thus counteract the development of clogged follicles.
In cosmetic skincare, you will find retinol and retinal, for example. Distinct from these are medicinal substances such as adapalene, which are used specifically for the treatment of acne and are subject to different regulatory requirements depending on the product or country.
If you are using a retinoid for the first time, you should integrate it slowly into your routine. Also, ensure sufficient moisturizing care and daily sunscreen.
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4. Provide the Skin with Sufficient Moisture
Oily skin and blackheads easily tempt one to omit moisturizer completely. Yet, blemished skin also needs moisture and a functioning skin barrier.
Choose a texture that suits your skin type. For oily skin, light fluids, gel-creams, or lotions may be more pleasant than very rich creams.
Ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, ceramides, or niacinamide can be a useful addition to your skincare routine.
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5. Use Sunscreen Daily
A broad-spectrum sunscreen should be the final step of your skincare in the morning. It protects the skin from UVA and UVB radiation and is especially important in a routine with active ingredients.
Choose a sunscreen that you enjoy using daily. For oily or blemished skin, light fluids and gel textures are often pleasant, for example.
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Which Active Ingredients Help Against Blackheads?
In addition to salicylic acid, other active ingredients can supplement skincare tailored to blackheads:
- Salicylic acid (BHA): Exfoliates and can dissolve dead skin cells within sebum-rich follicles
- Retinoids: Support skin renewal and regulate keratinization processes
- Niacinamide: Supports the skin barrier and can supplement the regulation of sebum production
- Azelaic acid: Can regulate keratinization processes and is particularly suitable for skin prone to blemishes
- AHA: Removes dead skin cells primarily on the skin surface and can improve uneven skin texture
You do not have to use these active ingredients all at the same time. Especially with active ingredients, the rule is: A manageable, consistently applied routine is often more sensible than as many active ingredients at once as possible.
Removing Blackheads on the Nose: What Helps?
The nose is one of the places where blackheads are particularly noticeable. Many sebaceous glands are located here, which is why the pores are often more clearly visible.
If you want to remove blackheads on your nose, the same recommendations generally apply as for the rest of your face: Cleanse the skin mildly, use salicylic acid regularly if tolerated, and avoid aggressive squeezing or scrubbing.
Before you try to remove every dark spot on your nose, however, a closer look is worth it.
Are the black spots on the nose really blackheads?
Not necessarily. What looks like numerous small blackheads at first glance can be so-called sebaceous filaments.
Sebaceous filaments are natural structures within the follicles and help transport sebum to the skin's surface. Especially on the nose, they can become visible as small gray, yellowish, or dark spots. They are often more evenly distributed and smaller than classic blackheads.
You can reduce their appearance, for example, through salicylic acid and suitable skincare. However, sebaceous filaments cannot be permanently removed, as they are a normal part of the skin and will refill with sebum.
Is It Okay to Squeeze Blackheads?
Even if it is tempting: squeezing blackheads yourself with your fingers or fingernails is not the best method. Strong pressure can irritate or injure the surrounding tissue.
Especially with the wrong technique or lack of hygiene, redness and inflammation can occur. After an injury to the skin, temporary dark or red spots may also remain.
A long-term skincare routine with suitable active ingredients is therefore the gentler strategy.
Having Blackheads Professionally Removed
If you want to have stubborn blackheads removed mechanically, you can consider a professional facial extraction. In this process, comedones are specifically removed under hygienic conditions.
An extraction can improve the skin's appearance in the short term, but does not automatically prevent new blackheads from forming. A suitable skincare routine therefore remains important afterward.
If many inflammatory pimples, pustules, or deeper skin changes occur alongside blackheads, you should seek dermatological advice instead.
Do Pore Strips Help Against Blackheads?
Pore strips can remove superficially adhering material from the pores when pulled off. Immediately after use, the nose may therefore appear smoother or cleaner.
However, pore strips do not fix the cause of blackheads. They neither regulate sebum production nor prevent dead skin cells from accumulating in the follicle again.
Even sebaceous filaments become visible again over time after removal. For a long-term routine against blackheads, active ingredients such as salicylic acid are therefore usually more sensible than regular pore strips.
Removing Blackheads with Home Remedies – Useful or Not?
From lemon juice to baking soda to toothpaste, numerous home remedies for blackheads are circulating. Just because a home remedy dissolves fat, dries out, or contains acid does not mean it is suitable for facial skin.
Lemon juice and baking soda, for example, can unnecessarily irritate the skin. Toothpaste was also not developed for use on blackheads and can dry out and irritate the skin.
A steam bath can feel pleasant and make sebum softer through the warmth. The frequently used statement that steam "opens" the pores, however, is not true: Pores do not have a muscle mechanism with which they can open and close.
Therefore, rely on well-formulated skincare products with active ingredients whose properties have been researched for use on the skin.
The Right Routine Against Blackheads
A routine against blackheads does not have to consist of ten different products. Consistency and good tolerability are much more important.
Morning routine
- Mild cleansing or – depending on skin type – cleansing the face with water only.
- Optionally, use a light niacinamide serum or another skincare product tailored to your skin type.
- Apply a suitable moisturizer.
- Finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50.
Evening routine
- Remove makeup and sunscreen.
- Cleanse the face with a gentle cleanser.
- Depending on the routine and tolerance, use BHA or a retinoid.
- Finally, apply a moisturizer.
If you want to use both salicylic acid and a retinoid, you do not have to combine both active ingredients on the same evening right away. Especially at the beginning, you can use them on different days, for example, and observe how your skin reacts.
How Long Does It Take for Blackheads to Disappear?
Blackheads generally cannot be cleared up overnight. How quickly the skin's appearance changes depends, among other things, on the type and number of comedones, your skin, and the active ingredients used.
A regular skincare routine therefore requires patience. Individual blackheads can change faster, while it can take several weeks for a new routine to make a visible difference overall.
In addition, blackheads can form again. The goal of suitable care is therefore not only to reduce existing comedones but also to prevent new clogs.
How Can You Prevent Blackheads?
Blackheads cannot be completely prevented in every case. With some habits, however, you can reduce conditions that promote clogged follicles:
- Cleanse your skin regularly, but gently.
- Remove makeup and sunscreen before going to sleep.
- Integrate salicylic acid into your routine if needed.
- Use skincare products that suit your skin type.
- Try not to dry out your skin as much as possible.
- Ensure sufficient moisturizing care.
- Avoid constantly squeezing blackheads.
- Do not overdo it with exfoliants and active ingredients.
- Use sunscreen during the day.
The Most Common Mistakes When Removing Blackheads
With blackheads, the desire for the fastest possible results can lead to the skin being treated too aggressively. This can cause irritation without solving the actual cause of the blackheads.
Therefore, especially avoid these mistakes:
- Squeezing blackheads with fingers or fingernails
- Using coarse mechanical scrubs
- Cleansing the skin aggressively several times a day
- Using acid exfoliants too frequently
- Introducing several strong active ingredients at the same time
- Skipping moisturizer
- Considering pore strips as a long-term solution
- Confusing sebaceous filaments with blackheads
- Wanting to remove every visible pore spot
When Should You See a Dermatologist About Blackheads?
Individual blackheads are not initially a reason to visit a doctor. However, dermatological advice is useful if a large number or persistent comedones occur, if the skin texture does not improve despite a suitable routine, or if additional inflammatory skin lesions develop.
Acne may be the underlying cause, especially if there are numerous pimples, pustules, painful nodules, or if scarring begins to form. A dermatologist can assess the skin condition and, if necessary, recommend an appropriate medical treatment.
Blackheads do not occur because your skin is "dirty" and therefore do not need to be removed using aggressive methods. Gentle cleansing, salicylic acid, a retinoid if necessary, sufficient moisture, and daily sun protection form a sensible basis for a skincare routine tailored to blackheads.
Above all, it requires some patience: instead of repeatedly squeezing blackheads or removing them in the short term with pore strips, it is worth addressing their formation in the long term. This allows you not only to reduce existing blackheads and whiteheads, but also to counteract new clogged pores.
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