How to Get Rid of Blackheads: Top Dermatologist Tips 2024

glamour.com:

, how to get rid of blackheads can be one of the most frustrating. For one, blackheads are stubborn and hard to safely remove without professional help.

You can try to dig them out yourself, but you risk traumatizing your skin in a way that makes the blackhead you removed seem like NBD (think: scarring or ).Fortunately, there’s some middle ground in both removing and preventing blackheads.

We asked top dermatologists exactly how to get rid of blackheads—and keep them from coming back. Here’s everything you need to know, from the best skin-care to professional options.What are blackheads?First, it helps to know what blackheads are (as Sun Tzu says, know your enemy). “Blackheads form when the opening of a pore on your skin becomes clogged with sebum,” says , MD, a dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut.According to board-certified dermatologist , blackheads are commonly mistaken for dirty pores. “It is a misconception that blackheads actually represent dirt stuck in pores,” he says. “Blackheads are also referred to as open comedones.

They are a type of acne that occurs on the skin.”What causes blackheads?Dr. Camp says that blackheads are a side effect of excess oil and clogged sebum. “Dead skin and oil that accumulates in the pore are oxidized as they are exposed to air, which causes them to turn dark in color, or black,” he adds.