How to Remove Blackheads Without Damaging Your Skin

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Honestly, when you think of how to remove blackheads, are your fingernails involved? We have all had blackheads at least once, and the urge to squeeze with our fingernails to go along with it. But if you want to prevent scarring, and possible infection, you would avoid squeezing with your fingers at all costs. Your fingernails may harbor bacteria that can infect your blackheads, which could turn into full blown acne lesions.


Blackheads occur when overactive sebaceous glands produce excessive oil (sebum) that fill up the skin's pores. Along with dead skin cells, the sebum clogs the pores, forming a blackhead. Overactive sebaceous glands a high dead skin cell rate can make it challenging to control blackheads.

Fortunately, there are ways to remove blackheads that is not only effective, but will not cause damage to your skin. Follow these steps for painless and gentle blackhead removal.

Warm steam is excellent for deep cleaning your pores.  This is because the steam opens the pores, improving the skin's circulation, and loosening up the trapped dirt and oil.  There are several ways to do a steam facial.  First, you can invest in a facial steamer, which would be an excellent choice for anyone who suffers from persistent acne problems.  However, if you're on a tight budget, you can simply fill up your sink or bowl with steaming hot water, place a towel over your head to form a tent, and place your face comfortably over the steam.  If you're pressed for time, you can make a warm compress instead, and place the warm washcloth over your face.

Exfoliation of the skin in absolutely necessary to further remove dead skin.  Unfortunately, not all exfoliators are created equal, and some products on the market may cause more harm than good.  If you can't find a gentle exfoliator in the beauty section of your local drugstore, try baking soda.  Baking soda is very effective, and it won't cause long term damage to the skin.  Another great exfoliator that can be found in your kitchen is oatmeal.  Oatmeal is great because it not only exfoliates, but also softens the skin.  When you exfoliate the skin, do so lightly in a circular pattern.

After exfoliation, you must cleanse your skin.  Choose a mild cleanser, not one that is too harsh with surfactants and detergents such as sulfates.  Make sure you rinse your face thoroughly after cleansing.

There are alot of nose strips and facial strips on the market that are very effective at removing blackheads.  It can be gentle as well if you follow the instructions.  An even gentler way to remove blackheads is by lightly covering your problem areas with Milk of Magnesia.  Once the MOM dries, clean it off with a clean warm, damp cloth.

Your final rinse should be with cold water to close your pores after removing the blackheads. Gently apply aloe vera gel to moisturize your skin. Aloe vera is a non irritating moisturizer that soothes and calms the skin. It is also antibacterial which will help inhibit bacteria from spreading.

So there you have it, four steps to gently removing your blackheads.  If you absolutely Must squeeze your blackheads, use a blackhead extractor.  This is not generally recommended either, since it could possibly lead to scarring, but it is the lesser of the evils. Make sure that you rinse your face before squeezing, and cleanse your face after squeezing. Do not apply any greasy creams or lotions to your face after cleansing.