How to banish blackheads for good

Half of the battle is knowing what they are and what’s causing them

The all-important questions though is, should you squeeze them or not? (Getty/iStockphoto)

With more than two million people subscribing to the Youtube channel of Dr Pimple Popper – a US dermatologist who specialises in extreme blackhead and pimple popping – our obsession with freeing our skin of unsightly blemishes has reached an all time high. It’s safe to say, you’re not alone in your eagerness to unclog pores.

One of life’s grating skincare issues, blackheads can be notoriously hard to shift so what is the best way to get rid of the pesky pustules for good?

First of all, it’s important to understand what a blackhead actually is. Contrary to popular belief, they’re not a sign of uncleanliness and are just a mix of oil and dead skin cells that settle in pores.

Then, as the wax plug slowly gets pushed towards the skins surface and comes in contact with air, which oxidises and turns it black.

So, what can you do to treat them?

Salicylic acid is one of the best options for dissolving blackheads away and luckily it can be found in a myriad of over-the-counter products. Ideally, you should us a leave-on product as the longer the exposure to the active ingredient, the better it will work.

It’s also worth noting that products contain varying concentrations so be mindful of your skin’s sensitivity.

Exfoliating regularly is important too, since it scrubs away dead skin cells that could clog pores. Again, take your complexion into consideration here – pales and drier skin should only be exfoliated once a week whereas oily skin is often more robust.

Despite what you might think, moisturising is key to battling blackheads as well. It’s important to maintain the right balance in the skin so while you’re exfoliating you should be using a moisturiser too. Just be sure to opt for a formula that wont clog your pores or cause breakouts.

The all-important questions though is, should you squeeze them or not?

While there’s no reason that you shouldn’t, simply squeezing blackheads will only remove them temporarily and they will quickly reform unless you adopt a skincare routine to prevent them.