How To Get Rid Of Blackheads On Your Face

Walk down the skin care aisle in any pharmacy or department store and the quantity and variety of products will be quite staggering. We spend a great deal of time, effort and money on caring for our skin. Sometimes, the attention starts in the teen years due to the dreaded appearance of pimples or more serious acne. Other times, we become more focused as we age in a desperate effort to keep our skin healthy and youthful.

In spite of all the cleansing and toning and protecting and replenishing, we may still find ourselves subjected to one of the more frustrating skin issues – blackheads. While we may get blackheads elsewhere on the body, blackheads tend to be most troublesome to the face and are often obvious around the nose, chin and across the forehead (called the T-zone).

To best determine how to get rid of blackheads on your face, it's important to understand what they are and how they're formed. Basically, our skin is covered with glands (called sebaceous glands). Their function is to secrete sebum (an oily, waxy substance) that lubricates and also protects our hair and skin. Sometimes, though, our sebaceous glands get a little over-zealous and produce excess sebum which then gets trapped, clogging up our pores. That trapped sebum, as it's exposed to the air, eventually turns black… and there we have a blackhead.

Our sebaceous glands shouldn't always carry the blame, though. We may be more susceptible to blackheads if we don't have an adequate cleansing routine that will clean away the oils being secreted. Females also stress their pores by not properly removing makeup. Learning how to get rid of blackheads on the nose or how to get rid of blackheads on the chin is not difficult.

First, it is critical to understand that blackheads won't just go away so ignoring them is ineffective. The blocked pores need to be unblocked. However, improper treatment of blackheads can damage and even scar the skin. Remember Mom's advice back in high school? DON'T squeeze! she said – and in many ways, she was right. Sometimes steaming the face or applying a hot compress will work well to open the pores and then allow blackheads to be very gently squeezed out.

Using products that slough the skin can be effective and there are many that are commercially available. Look for those which contain salicylic acid. Some people prefer to use home remedies such as applying a beaten egg white to the face, letting it dry and then gently scrubbing it off with warm water. One of the simplest methods, though, is to purchase a blackhead remover. It's a tiny metal tool that has a small hole at each end. Centering the hole over a blackhead and pushing down (again, gently) will often pop the blackhead right out. This kind of treatment can also be done by a dermatologist or an aesthetician, particularly in more severe cases, so it's a good idea to evaluate the severity of your blackheads and decide which will be the safest way to handle your skin.