Should you squeeze blackheads? Dermatologists explain how to safely remove them
Blackheads—almost everyone has them. Whether your T-zone is covered in them or you get the occasional one around your nose, this annoying skin problem is common. What else is common about blackheads? The desire to express it and patch it up. Trust us, we get it: squeezing blackheads is both incredibly tempting and incredibly satisfying. But the hard truth is, it doesn’t do your skin any good, and long story short, experts strongly advise against it. Read on to learn more about why dermatologists suggest you shouldn’t squeeze blackheads, and which approved methods you should try—both to prevent them and to remove them when they do appear.
What are blackheads?
“A blackhead is an open comedone, a pore or hair follicle that becomes clogged with sebum, dead skin, and bacteria,” explains dermatologist Melanie Palm. “With blackheads, the comedone is exposed to air, which oxidizes the remaining oil and dead skin cells, making the clogged pore appear dark brown or black, which is completely different from other types of acne, such as whiteheads (closed comedones) and inflammatory acne (such as papules and cystic acne).
Should you squeeze your blackheads?
As tempting as it may be to squeeze your blackheads, all the experts we spoke to told us not to give in. “I don’t recommend pulling or squeezing blackheads, even though it may be tempting,” advises dermatologist Dustin Portela. “This can actually make the blackhead worse, not to mention the pain, scarring, and further irritation. However, if you have an experienced professional (such as a trained aesthetician) who is trained to remove blackheads properly, it is completely fine—but when it comes to problems.” Palm points out that this practice is not correct. If you absolutely can’t resist the urge, she recommends using a (clean) finger wrapped in a tissue to perform the removal at home, rather than using an extractor or other device that may pierce the skin and leave scars.
How to Prevent Blackheads
“Blackheads are caused by clogged pores, so prevention is all about keeping them unclogged,” says Pam. The simplest, easiest, and most important thing you can do is keep your skin clean. “Wash your face twice a day, and also after you sweat a lot,” explains Portela. “This will prevent oil and dead cells from building up in the follicles.” You can use a regular cleanser or one with an exfoliating ingredient like salicylic acid—we like CeraVe SA Salicylic Acid Cleanser.
Also be sure to exfoliate regularly. Both dermatologists we spoke to recommend chemical peels like retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid. They’re gentler than physical exfoliants like scrubs and allow you to prevent and treat blackheads without causing unnecessary damage to your skin.
How to Remove and Treat Blackheads
Portela recommends exfoliating two to three times a week to remove existing blackheads. Just like for prevention, salicylic acid is a great option. “This beta hydroxy acid is great for treating blackheads because it’s folliculotropic, meaning it penetrates the hair follicles and sebaceous glands to get to where the blackheads form,” says Palm. From there, it breaks down and dissolves excess oil that causes constipation. You can find it in Cetaphil Gentle Clear Triple Action Anti-Acne Serum.
Retinoids are another great option for treating blackheads, Palm adds, because they balance drainage from the pilosebaceous glands. She recommends using an adapalene gel, like Differin Acne Treatment Gel. However, keep in mind that these ingredients can make your skin more sensitive to light. That’s why it’s more important than ever to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day.
If you need some extra help with removal, Portella says you can use pore strips (like Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips)—as long as you only do it once or twice a month. They can be irritating (not only do they stick to and remove blackheads, they also remove some skin cells), so overuse can cause irritation. Keep in mind that while they’re a great quick fix, these blackheads will eventually reappear if you follow the prevention plan above. Don’t clean after exfoliating your pores.
Final Verdict
While blackheads are frustrating, and we understand the temptation to pop them, you should have a professional manually remove them, as trying to pop them yourself could cause further damage to your skin. Instead, it’s best to incorporate an exfoliant with a retinoid or salicylic acid into your at-home skincare routine—and yes, you can use a pore cleanser once in a while if you want.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
