Notes on Blackhead Removal:
If you are going to be removing blackheads on your own, that is without the help of a dermatologist, then please don't go squeezing them out. Use a blackhead remover, as described below, and follow the directions if you wish to avoid scarring yourself for life. And I shouldn't have to tell you this, but don't put a boiling hot washcloth on your face. It should also go without saying that if you're having complications, you should go see a dermatologist. Duh.
How to Get Rid of Blackheads
Natural & Organic Remedies:
Tea Tree Oil, is a great way to treat acne naturally, used as a substitute for astringents like Benzoyl Peroxide. I can plug this stuff enough, but be warned that there are a number of people who are allergic to organic oils like tea tree oil, especially highly concentrated doses of it. So, please exercise caution if you choose to use tea tree oil to treat acne.
The Zeno is a fairly new device, described more thoroughly in "get rid of pimples," that works by applying a concentrated amount of heat to an emerging pimple, killing the blackhead causing bacteria.
Oh, blackheads! I don't know how many hours I've spent in front of a mirror squeezing one blackhead after another out of my big nose. If you're anything like me, and a little OCD (that rhymes!), then you've spent some time in front of the mirror wondering just what the hell is so wrong with your pores that they can't manage to do their job and drain that junk. Blackheads, after all, are a failure on the part of your follicles (aka. pores) to properly drain the Sebum, oil that naturally accumulates in them. Once the blockage begins, it's just a matter of time before acne causing bacteria take over and completely clog the pore resulting in either a whitehead (see: get rid of pimples) or a blackhead. Below is some advice about how to get rid of blackheads and avoid the ghastly things altogether.
If you want to get rid of blackheads you're going to stop using oil-based makeup and skin treatments. These oil-based skin products will ensure that your pores get clogged on a regular basis because oil-based skin products, as compared to water-based products, are near impossible for your body to break down naturally. There are non-comedogenic (“clog-free” for us lay people) skin products available that should be used instead.
Applying beta hydroxy acid to the face on a regular basis has been shown to help get rid of blackheads. Beta hydroxyl acid (Salicylic acid) is an organic acid that exfoliates the skin, allowing dead and dying skin cells to slough off more readily, thus opening the pores. Opening your pores allows the comedones (blackheads) to come to the surface for easier blackhead removal.
The Blackhead Remover
A lot of us either don't have the patience to follow through with a blackhead treatment regiment or don't need it because we only need to remove the occasional blackhead. This is where cosmetic companies like Simco, Revlon, and Pfeilring come in. These companies make a number of different blackhead removers, and for a reasonable price too—sometimes less than $3.00. A blackhead remover works by using a circular pressure pad to apply, well, pressure to the areas directly surrounding the blackhead, pushing the comedone toward the surface for safe removal. You may want to opt for the Revlon Stainless Steel black head remover because they're easier to clean and keep sterile, something you'll want to make sure of considering the leading role bacteria plays in the creation of blackheads.
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