One thing for sure, you never want to attempt to squeeze or remove blackheads with your fingernails.  This is a definite way to ensure a nasty skin infection and scarring.  But is using a blackhead removal tool any better?  Let’s weigh the pros and cons:

The pros of using blackhead removers

• Far more sterile than the fingernails, since most extractor are made from stainless steel.
• Relatively inexpensive and readily available almost anywhere.
• Good variety:  More than one type of blackhead removal tool depending on your personal needs and preferences
• They actually can remove blackheads quickly and easily.
• Minimizes the risk of infection.
• Great for blackhead removal when you’re in a pinch.

The cons of using a blackhead removers

• They may damage your skin and often leave scars
• Only treating the external symptoms of blackheads, not the underlying cause.
• Can be very painful to use.
• May cause temporary redness of the skin.
• Does not completely guarantee that you won’t get an infection.
• May give the appearance of enlarged pores.

Blackheads removers are worth using if you realize that the results are only a quick-fix and temporary.  You also need to know how to prepare your skin prior to extraction.  The key to blackhead removers is the quality of the instrument and the technique.  If you try to extract a blackhead too hastily, or do so with an inferior tool, you run the risk of spreading bacteria, injuring skin cells and causing an infection.

If you are brave enough to use such a tool at home, make sure you read and adhere to the instructions carefully.  Otherwise, it may be best to seek help from a professional dermatologist or aesthician.  At the very least, you may ask a skin care professional to show you how to use a blackhead remover properly.

Read more information about blackhead removal tools.

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We’ve all heard the maxim, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, ad nauseum.  But you probably didn’t know that an apple a day can help keep blackheads at bay.  Apples are wonderful for treating blackheads, as well as keeping breakouts under control, because they contain malic acid.  Malic acid is a natural substance belonging to the alpha hydroxy group found in fruits and vegetables–with apples being one of the richest sources.

Malic acid is so important to any healthy skin care regimen because it creates firmer, smoother skin and helps to remove dead skin cells.  Dead skin, along with oil, is the main blackhead-causing enemy that clogs pores.  Apples, being loaded with malic acid, can be used as a mild exfoliator for dislodging and removing blackheads. Below is a simple and inexpensive facial scrub recipe that will help you achieve a clearer complexion.

To create the exfoliator, you will need a fresh pureed apple, preferably organic and pesticide-free.  If you don’t have a way to puree an apple, simply substitute two tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce.  You will also need one tablespoon of white or brown sugar.  In a small bowl, mix the apple and sugar together until blended well.

Prep your skin by applying a warm moist towel over your face to open the pores.  Keep the towel on your face for a minimum of ten minutes to really get those pores wide open.  Next, you will want to remove the oil from yor skin by cleansing your face with a mild alcohol free cleanser.  Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel, then apply the apple mixture in a light, circular motion.  The apple and sugar mixture will feel a little abrasive, so take care not to scrub too hard.

You can choose to exfoliate the entire face or just concentrate on the problem areas where blackheads have a tendency to appear.  When your are finished scrubbing, rinse your face with cool water to close the pores.  Then, follow up with a toner to get those pores extra tight.

The apple/sugar exfoliation mix is gentle and non-irritating, so you can use it daily if you like.  At the very minimum, you should use this scrub 2-3 times a week to help slough-off dead skin.

So now you know how to remove blackheads– and you don’t even have to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive blackheads removal products.  Have that apple (facial scrub, that is) a day, starting today, and your skin will simply be delighted!

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#1  Cleanse Your Skin Every Morning And Night

The best treatment for blackheads is prevention.  And keeping your skin clear of oil and debris is the most important element of blackhead prevention.  Cleansing your skin before bedtime will clear your skin of the oil and impurities it was exposed to during the day.  Cleansing your face in the morning will clear the excessive oil produced while you were sleep.  Choose a mild, non-comedongenic cleanser that is soap and alcohol free.  Cleansers that contain these ingredients can be too drying to the skin, stimulating the sebaceous glands to produce more oil.  Clay-based cleansers and masks are recommended since the clay helps draw out the oil in the skin.  Be careful to avoid over cleansing, as this can also lead to drying out the skin.

#2  Exfoliation Blackhead Facial Treatment

Getting rid of the oil on your skin is only half the battle.  The second part of  facial blackhead treatments involve sloughing off the dead skin to prevent  pore build-up.  The best way to do so is by exfoliating once or twice a week.  Avoid using harsh scrubs, and choose a gentle exfoliation product that is made of fine micro-beads.   Alternatively, you can use a gentle salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide products which chemically exfoliate the skin.  Exfoliate gently, preferably in a circular motion, to avoid skin irritation and damage.

#3  Keep Oil Absorbing Sheets With You

Oil absorbing sheets are a great addition to a blackheads treatment since they are brilliant for keeping your oily skin under control throughout the day.  These sheets are very easy to use: you just take a sheet and gently blot the oily areas of the face.  Oil blotting sheets are readily available (you can get it at any local drugstore) and relatively inexpensive.  But if your face produces oil every 10 minutes, the cost of buying sheets can add up quickly.  Alternatively you can cut up thin tissue paper (like clean toilet seat covers), which can be more cost effective.

It’s much easier to prevent blackheads than to remove them.  Keep your skin clear with a basic blackhead treatment by cleansing, exfoliating, and blotting your face throughout the day.  Before you know it, you will be on your way to having clear, blackhead free skin.

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Take a tomato, for example. If you think that big juicy tomato in your fridge is only good for a garden salad or club sandwich, then think again!  Packed full of nutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, tomatoes have powerful ingredients that are good for your skin and overall health.  Tomatoes are particularly beneficial for normalizing oily skin, helping to to prevent and clear blackhead and acne breakouts.

If the thought of eating tomatoes make you cringe, don’t fret!  You don’t neccessarily have to ingest tomatoes to reap the wondrous benefits, as you can just apply it directly to the skin.  The tomato is a natural astrigent, great for both cooling the skin and tightening pores.  Rich in vitamins A and C, tomatoes brighten dull skin and encourages healthy skin production. Here a few blackheads home remedy recipes that you can start using right now to reap the benefits of healther skin:

Basic Tomato Facial

This recipe is especially good if you’re short on time. You will need one small tomato, cut in half. Rub the half on your face, and let the juice sit on your face for at least 5 minutes. Follow up with a cool water rinse.

Basic Tomato Cleansing Mask for Oily Skin

Extract the pulp from a ripe tomato. Liberally apply the pulp to your face and neck, allowing the to skin soak in the juice for 15-20 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water to seal in the moisture and close the pores. You can also add honey to the tomato juice for additional moisturizing and anti-bacterial properties.

Tomato and Avocado Cleansing Mask

The combination of avocado and tomato is good for reducing oil, soothing and softening the skin. This recipe is recommended for those with combination or oily skin. Smash and mix a small ripe tomato and avocado. Once mixed, apply the mixture to your face, and let is sit for 20-30 minutes. Follow up with a tepid water rinse.

Tomato and Lime Pore Reducing Mask

Squeeze a tablespoon of tomato juice from a fresh ripe tomato, and mix this with 2-4 drops of fresh lime juice. Apply to the skin and let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cold water to further shrink pores.

***Here’s another tip: If you’re out of tomatoes, but happen to have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you can use the paste as a mask for removing blackheads as well.****

Now you know how to get rid of blackheads naturally as all of these treatments above are effective for cutting through the oil in your skin, which will help to prevent  blackheads. Tomato treatments are natural and mild, so you can use any of these methods to remove blackheads as much as you like. So the next time you go to buy a tomato for your salad, pick up an extra one to give your skin a treat!

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Making your strips will require two ingredients that you can easily obtain at your local grocery store. You need 1 1/2 Tablespoons of milk and one Tablespoon of unflavored gelatin (Knox brand is the most commonly used for this recipe).  Mix the milk and gelatin together and warm in the microwave for ten seconds.  Using a clean wedge or cotton ball/pad, apply the mixture to the blackhead affected areas, avoiding the eyes.  Keep the concoction on your face for 10-15 minutes to completely dry.  When the mixture is dry and hardened, it will form a film.  Gently peel off the film, and voila, you’re blackheads are gone!

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• Tweezers

Using sterilized tweezers is one of the simplest and most effective tools for removing blackheads. Tweezers are good for unplugging the debris from the clogged pore. When using tweezers, make sure that use a pointed tip that is properly aligned with the blackhead. Be gentle and avoid squeezing the skin to prevent scars.

• Blackhead/Comedone Extractors

The most common tools used for removing blackheads are comedone extractors. Typically used by skin care professionals, comedone extractors are made of stainless steel, durable, and can be sterilized easily. Below are the four types of extractors available:

Extractor With Lancet:

This extractor has two ends that screws into a stainless steel bar: one end with a sharp lancet and the other with a looped extractor. This tool is especially useful if you have both whiteheads and blackheads; the lancet is designed to pierce a whitehead and the loop is designed to extract blackheads.

Double Fine Loop Extractor:

This tool is also good for extracting whiteheads and blackheads. This tool has two “fine” looped ends that is precise for extracting comedones with minimal damage to the surrounding pores. The fine loop extractor is typically the tool of choice among skin care professionals.

Double Spoon Comedone Extractor:

This extractor is especially useful for large blackheads, doesn’t cause skin    damage,  and is the most user friendly for beginners.  With two spoon-shaped  ends, the larger end tends to have 7-19 small holes to remove the larger blackheads. The smaller end is used for smaller blackheads.

8 in 1 Comedone Extractor Kit:

This is a kit that includes various extraction tools.  It comes with one bar and eight extractors including a single loop extractor, double loop extractor, fine loop extractor, and two lancets in varying sizes.

Before using an extraction tool, make sure your face is thoroughly cleansed and steamed to open the pores. Always sterilize the tool before and after use with rubbing alcohol, wiping it with a cotton swab or pad. Follow up with cleansing, rinsing the face with cold water to close the pores. As a final step, use an alcohol free toner to further minimize the appearance of pores.

• Blackhead Removal Vacuum

This is an electronic device designed to “suck” the gunk out of your pores. It works by creating a suction between a small cup and the face. These devices are the most expensive out of all of the tools and can be difficult to keep clean.

• Pore Strips

Pore strips are among the cheapest of the removal tools. They work by having an adhesive that is placed above the blackhead. When the strip is quickly removed, is pulls out the blackhead and the debris. Pore strips are only to be used on the nose, and the directions must be followed carefully to prevent skin irritation.

Blackhead removing tools are fairly cheap and more sterile than the fingers.  However,  improper use can lead to pain and infection.  Always sterilize your tools (if applicable) and always be GENTLE.  Remember to never try to force out a resistant blackhead. For best results, steam or use a warm towel to open your pores.

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The problem could be in your pillowcase.  Every night, oil is absorbed by your pillow as you are sleeping. If you’re not changing your pillowcase regularly, you may be “reinfecting” your pores with oil.  Try changing your pillowcase every day to avoid reintroducing oil to your skin.  If this isn’t possible, make sure that you don’t sleep on the same pillow case for more than three nights in a row.  This should help alleviate some of your blackhead woes.

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1. Lanolin

Lanolin is one of the most common ingredients in cosmetic products, used for skin moisturization.  Lanolin, in its natural form, is the oil from sheep skin extracted from wool. Pure lanolin in this form may or may not be harmful to those with acne.  Some argue that pure lanolin will not cause breakouts; others claim that the fatty acids of lanolin share similarities to the fatty acids of sebum, which can trigger acne in those who are predisposed to the condition.

Most cosmetics on the market do not use pure lanolin, but synthetic derivatives.  Synthetic lanolins, such as acetylated and etoxylated lanolins, are definitely oily, comedogenic and should be avoided at all costs.  These lanolins actually penetrate the pores better than natural lanolin.  If you decide to use lanolin, only use pure natural lanolin oil, and test a small patch of skin to check for adverse effects.

2.  SD Alcohol

SD Alcohol is a denatured alcohol used as a solvent.  SD alcohol used as a main ingredient,  can be irritating and overly drying the skin, causing overproduction of oil to compensate for dryness.  Small amounts of SD Alcohol may not be a cause for concern, and is sometimes used in conjunction with salicylic acid.

3.  Isopropyl Myristate

Isopropyl Myristate is often used as a thickening agent to help a smoother application of a product.  This penetrating oil is known to clog pores, aggravate acne and can cause some allergic reactions to the skin.  There are also other chemical compounds that act similar to isopropy myristate that should be avoided.  The most commonly used are: isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl isothermal, putty sterate, isostearyl neopentonate, myristyl myristate, decyl oleate, octyl sterate, octyl palmitate and isocetyl stearate and PPG myristyl propionate.  You will definitely want to put any product with these ingredients back on the shelf!

4. D & C Pigments

D & C pigments are dyes that give some products red coloring. Some of these dyes are derived from coal tars known to be comedogenic. Some of these dyes including D & C Red #9 and D & C Red #40,  have been tested for comedogenicity;  these were found to be the most problematic of the various red pigments.

***A note on mineral oil (Paraffinum Liquidum)...**** I myself have been guilty of advising anyone with acne or blackheads to stay away from this ingredient. Mineral oil has gotten a bad rep for clogging pores, exacerbating acne problems. However,a 2005 study published the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, states this is a myth - finding that cosmetic grade mineral oil is not comedogenic at all. Though some may experience sensitivity to mineral oil, it is not generally a cause of concern.

It’s important to note that everyone is different, and your skin may or may not react adversely to the above ingredients.  If you notice any of these ingredients in your products that seems to work well, keep using it. On the other hand, if you are using products with these ingredients that don’t seem to be working for you, stop using them immediately. When shopping for a blackhead removal treatment, opt for labeling that states it is “non-comodegenic” instead of “oil-free”.

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Ahhhh…you know that refreshed feeling you get after getting a facial at a spa?  Well you can have that everyday with a steam facial! I cannot stress enough how important it is to incorporate steam facials into your blackhead removal arsenal.  Exposing your face to warm moisture helps open up your clogged pores, loosening debris and toxins buried deep in the skin.  And it is absolutely essential to do if you squeeze your blackheads.

Steam not only helps to alleviate blackhead issues, but also has other skin benefits such as stimulating the skin’s blood circulation, opening of clogged sinus and nasal passages, hydrating and rejuvenating the outer layer of skin.  And since facial steaming is a very inexpensive and relaxing treat, it’s just an all around win-win situation!

Now there are several ways you can steam.  One of the easiest ways is by taking advantage of the steam from your daily shower.  When you take your shower everyday, make sure all doors are securely shut to trap in the moisture.  Then you can make the shower as hot as you can withstand.  You can also fill up a bowl with hot water, draping a towel over your head as you place your face over the steam.  If you’re pressed for time, you can also create a warm compress with a washcloth and hot water; just placed the compress over your face, and let those pores open up.

The best way to steam is by using a portable facial steamer.  Investing in a facial steamer is a great investment for anyone who suffers from acne, and they’re not at all expensive.  What sets facial steamers apart from the other methods is the different settings, which gives you the ability to control the amount of steam.  This is especially great for those who feel like they are suffocating when breathing in steam. And, since they are portable, you can take your facial steamer with you wherever you go.

With a portable facial steamer, you can treat yourself to a spa blackhead treatment in the comfort of your own home!

You can also add essential oils to your steam for additional benefits. Essential oils are emollient and help soften, moisturize, and lubricate the skin.  Some oils also have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.  For oily skin prone to blackheads, essential oils of  fennel, rosemary, and lemon can be beneficial.

When you steam, do so for at least 5-10 minutes for maximum benefits.  There are no adverse side effects from steaming, so you can do so as often as you like.  However, you should steam no less than 3-4 times a week.

Well don’t just sit there… get to steaming!  Your face will thank you for it!

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