Herbal Aromatherapy |

Blackheads are among the least tolerated types of acne. They occur when a pore becomes partially clogged with dead skin and other contaminants. Unlike other lesions, such as whiteheads, the contaminants remain embedded within the hair follicle unless somehow pushed outwards. It is of no surprise that people become frustrated when their blackheads fail to respond to traditional acne medications. Naturally, they resort to more drastic behaviors to get them removed. While blackheads do require some encouragement to erupt, you need to take some precautions before tampering with them so that you don’t worsen your battle with acne. We have provided some tips below for blackhead extraction to ensure successful removal with minimal complications.

Anyone with a basic knowledge of the skin should know that it responds differently to hot and cold water. When we wash our face with cold water, for instance, our pores contract. The exact opposite happens when we use hot water. Since a blackhead is lodged pretty deeply inside our pores, we need to the benefits of hot water to our advantage. That does not mean you should go ahead and apply steaming water to your face. This can cause irritation and possible burns. What you should do is sit in shower steam for five to ten minutes to allow your pores to open. This will make the area more responsive to squeezing.

When you have completed your shower, move to the front of a mirror. Examine your fingernails to ensure they will not interfere in the removal process. If they are long, for instance, you should trim them. We don’t want to cause acne scarring during the extractions.

With your fingernails in good order, place your index fingers on either side of the blackhead. Begin applying equal amounts of pressure to both ends. The contaminants inside the pore should begin to rise above. Again, do not bring your nails into the mix! If the blackhead seems to remain stationary, keep applying gradual amounts of pressure. It should eventually budge. When all the contents of the hair follicle seem to be emptied, clean the contaminants off your skin. If any bleeding occurs, apply a clean tissue to the extraction site with some pressure.

If you followed the above procedure correctly, your blackhead should be gone and the site should be fully healed within a day or two. You can repeat this process as necessary, just be sure not to overdo it. We advise against using pore strips or similar products as they can severely irritate your skin and cause further breakouts. If you would rather have someone else perform these extractions, you should consider visiting an esthetician.

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