Popping blackheads is something many of us think of doing. And something many of us did do at some point in our lives. But is it something we should do? And how should we do it? Will it help us or only make things worse? These are all the questions I often asked myself when I was dealing with blackheads. So let’s examine this issue and find a way to deal with it.
What are blackheads?
Before doing anything, we must understand what we are dealing with. We know that blackheads are annoying and that we don’t like the way they look and how they make us feel. But what are they exactly?
Blackheads are a plain old build-up of oil (sebum) and dead skin cells that collects in our open pores. And because the pores are open, that oil build-up oxidizes, making it appear black. So there is no dirt, and we can stop thinking that our face is dirty and stop scrubbing it like crazy.
Sometimes, a similar thing can happen, but instead of being in an open pore, a layer of skin cells can close that pore (with the excess oil inside) and cause a whitehead. So, a whitehead is essentially the same thing, except it’s not oxidized, so it has a whitehead.
Both blackheads and whiteheads belong to the group called comedonal acne. I already have a post about it here: What is comedonal acne and how to get rid of it
Popping blackheads – should I do it?
Since a blackhead is essentially a build-up of our skin’s oil in a ‘hole’ (aka a pore), it can be hard to pop it out. Just imagine how you usually pop a pimple – it’s raised from the skin, and you can gently press on the sides of it, and it comes straight out.
And now imagine how you could pop something that is under the surface of the skin – you would have to be quite harsh to get that thing out. Granted, it may give you a feeling of satisfaction seeing all that junk getting out of your skin, but is it worth it if you are left with sore red skin?
Now, I won’t pretend there aren’t tools out there that can help you in your mission, but they don’t do you any favours. They will also leave your skin red and sore.
So, my answer is no – you should not be popping blackheads on your skin. There are better solutions to get rid of them.
Popping blackheads in a salon
If you really can’t go on with your life while those things live on your skin, you can visit your esthetician and get them professionally removed. If you think I’m contradicting myself here, listen (read) carefully.
An esthetician is a professionally trained person that knows what she is doing. Estheticians first prepare your skin for the blackhead extraction (popping), usually by cleaning and steaming your face to allow your pores to ‘open’ and soften the build-up in your pores. Then they go with sterilised tools and clean hands, and they extract every single blackhead. While doing so, they are being as gentle as possible to do as minimal damage to your skin as possible.
Lastly, they will finish the treatment by cleaning your skin once again and providing proper aftercare.
Do you see how that differs from what you would usually do at home?
Using skincare to get rid of blackheads
There is an alternative to popping blackheads, be it in a salon or by using skincare at home. It only requires some patience and a few skincare products.
As we now know, blackheads are nothing more than an excess of oil which oxidised in our pores. And some ingredients manage to get into the pore, break down the dirt and sebum and remove it. And then, the best way to prevent blackheads from happening is to rebalance your skin’s oil production.
Cleansing blackhead-prone skin
Let’s start with the cleansing step. Generally, the best ingredient for breaking down blackheads is BHA. Salicylic acid is one of the acids from the BHA group and is the best one for treating acne. All acids have exfoliating properties, but salicylic acid is unique because it can penetrate the pore and dissolve that oil. So not only it can help remove the appearance of blackheads, but it can also prevent acne from happening.
Depending on your skin type, you could use the salicylic acid cleanser every day or just a few times a week. There are also different strengths of salicylic acid products, and the highest available OTC is 2%. So keep that in mind when buying a salicylic acid product.
Treating blackhead-prone skin
Once we have started clearing out our blackheads with the salicylic acid cleanser, we can work on re-balancing the oil production in the skin and preventing new blackheads from forming.
There are many different skincare ingredients you can use to balance out oil production, but my favourite is niacinamide.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it has many benefits for our skin. The most known benefits are that it can reduce the size of the pores and balance out the production of sebum. By keeping the pores clean and clear of any debris, niacinamide can help them normalize and go back to their original sizes. Some other benefits of niacinamide include:
- improving uneven skin tone
- reducing redness
- anti-inflammatory
- strengthening the skin barrier
Lastly, my favourite fact about niacinamide is that it works fairly quickly. You can see an improvement in your skin in only two to four weeks if you use it twice daily. Everyone is different, and improvement rates will differ from person to person, but that is average. I usually see an improvement within two weeks of the start of use, and I only use it once a day.
Here is my review of one of my favourite niacinamide products: Q+A Niacinamide Daily Toner review
Glycolic acid
The other great ingredient for preventing blackheads is glycolic acid. Glycolic acid belongs to the AHA group of acids, and it’s the most popular one. Out of all the alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid is the best match for oily skin. It has oil-balancing properties making it a fantastic choice for oily skin. And, like any other acid, it also has an exfoliating effect that can help prevent clogging of the pores. And if the pores aren’t clogged, there will be no blackheads.
Lactic acid
Lastly, lactic acid, another one of AHA, can be beneficial for treating blackheads. Similarly to glycolic acid, lactic acid also can regulate the production of oil in the skin. It also has an exfoliating property and can prevent the build-up of dead skin cells. Lactic acid could be a better solution for those with normal or sensitive skin as it isn’t as harsh as glycolic acid is.
Moisturising blackhead-prone skin
You may think you need to strip your skin of the oil it produces, but that would only make it produce more oil. What you need is a nice non-comedogenic serum and/or moisturiser. Every skin type needs to be cared for, and even the oiliest skins need hydration. Even if you think your skin is too oily to absorb any other product, try including light hydrating serum. Usually, the overproduction of the oil is due to the skin being too dry and oil glands trying to compensate for that. So if you introduce an external hydrating agent, your skin might slow down the oil production. It doesn’t even have to be a serum – a light essence would do.
Look for the products that have:
- hyaluronic acid
- vitamin B5
- vitamin C
- niacinamide
Avoid product with:
- cocoa butter
- coconut oil
- parrafinum liquidum
- shea butter
- lanolin
- avocado oil
- beeswax
- palm kernel oil
These guidelines go for both face serums and face creams. If this confuses you, just look for a product that says oil-free or non-comedogenic. But try to look at the ingredients list and see what is actually in there.
Is it really a blackhead?
Sometimes, we think we have blackheads, but what we have is sebaceous filaments. If you have never heard of it, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Sebaceous filaments are little threads that help move the sebum around our skin. To be more accurate, they help transport the sebum from the sebum gland to the surface of the skin providing moisture to our skin. They are an essential part of our skin and shouldn’t be removed.
Everyone has sebaceous filaments, but in some skins (like oily skin), it could be easier to see them. But sebaceous glands aren’t black as blackheads are. They are beige, sandy, and light grey in colour. So if you see that – don’t touch it. You can be happy that your skin works well and is always moisturised.
Conclusion
Blackheads are build-ups of oil and dead skin cells that oxidizes in open pores. They aren’t dirt as usually thought, and your skin is not dirty, so no need for manically scrubbing your face.
The best products to use for blackheads are the following:
- salicylic acid cleanser
- niacinamide/glycolic acid/ lactic acid
- non-comedogenic or oil-free serum and/or moisturiser
Lastly, popping blackheads is never a good idea. It can only result in inflamed, wounded skin and can leave scars. Instead, try using targeted skincare. Include some or all of the products recommended, and look at your blackheads disappear.
