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Blackheads

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by TheUndiscovered, Jan 21, 2013.

  1. TheUndiscovered

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    Does anyone have some good ways to get rid of the blackheads that pop up on your nose? I don't really know how, I usually just squeeze the shit out of my nose but it never gets many of them. : \
     
  2. Gen

    Gen
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    Well first, Never Pop Anything!! I know everyone says this, but it is ultimately true. If you absolutely must, do it, make sure it clean it, and if it comes back then you will just have to deal with it.

    What age group are you in?

    Are you using any type of face wash daily?
     
  3. Pain

    Pain Guest

    If I'm not mistaken, there are adhesive strips made that are designed to remove blackheads by pulling them out of the skin. Kind of like waxing hair. Though I could be wrong.
     
  4. Z3ni

    Z3ni Guest

    Yeah they're called Pore Strips. You use it after exfoliating, on a wet face, the strip dries and kinda "suctions" onto the black head, when you unpeel the strip it takes the blackhead out.

    But it doesn't always work though, and first time it can hurt :slight_smile:
     
  5. KaraBulut

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    If the stuff what is coming out is either oil or a combination of dirt and waxy oil, then the three things that will help are exfoliation, using mild astringent and a pore cleanser

    Exfoliation: There are several ways to exfoliate and most people have to try different things before they find what works for them.
    1. The most basic mechanical exfoliation is taking a soft cotton cloth and gently rubbing the cloth against the skin in a circular motion. This in combination with a cleanser is usually enough to remove most of the surface layers of skin. There are also cleansers that have sand or small beads that help with exfoliation.
    2. Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals that peel the skin. You can find these at the drugstore or at beauty stores like Ulta or Sephora. They usually contain salicylic acid or a retinoid that causes the top layer of the skin to peel. There are also benzoyl peroxide preparations available at drug stores that work well for some people although they have a tendency to bleach clothing if you're not careful.

    Astringent: An astringent helps clear excess oil from the surface of the skin and helps shrink the pores. Witch Hazel is one that is commonly used. It is helpful in areas where the climate is humid but they may be too harsh in drier climates.

    Pore Cleansers: Z3ni mentioned pore strips. These can help if you are developing wax plugs or oil-dirt combinations on your nose or forehead that are making your pores look large and dark. The strips extract the plugs from the skin when you remove them- similar to way wax strips work on hair.

    Don't squeeze. When you're brushing your teeth, squeeze the tube of toothpaste in the middle- notice that the tube of toothpaste bulges on either side of the place that you squeeze. This is what happens when you squeeze a pore between your fingers. Oil does come out of the pore but the process can also force oil (and bacteria) back into the oil gland which just makes the inflammation worse.
     
    #5 KaraBulut, Jan 22, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2013
  6. Jim

    Jim
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    Meh I haven't found anything that works. It depends on your skin type really. I find those pore stripper things are completely useless. They just make my nose hurt and give me dry skin.

    I have Mediterranean skin, so I've just sort of learnt to live with my blackheads, as there's not much i can do about them, I jut have quite large pores. I find that good exfoliators can make my skin nicer, but the blackheads never actually go away completely.
     
  7. Ridiculous

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    Check that they aren't just sebacious filaments - these are the small black dots (usually just on your nose and possibly the nearby cheek area) that when squeezed just pop out a thin little squiggly strand. These aren't blackheads: it's the result of your pores producing sebum (as they should) and the exposed end of the filament in the pore being oxidised and turning dark. If you squeeze or extract them they will reappear in a day or two.
    The good news is everyone has them (albeit some more noticeable than others) and they are invisible unless you are right up in the mirror concentrating on them.

    Actual blackheads will be bigger than surrounding black dots and/or 'solid' or slightly lumpy. If they are all the same then you don't have any blackheads. Blackheads will usually occur because something has gone wrong a sebacious filament (possibly because you've damaged it by trying to squeeze them out!).

    (I know that this is probably not good advice for others but the only blackhead that I ever left and didn't extract resulted in an enlarged pore on my nose that has been there for the last few years and will be there forever. I left it for about 2 weeks and then finally extracted out the plug because it was just getting worse. In contrast all others that I have extracted immediately haven't left any scar or mark behind. I don't get many blackheads though - whiteheads seem to be my thing.)
     
  8. you can buy some blackhead strip thingys that arent too expensive :slight_smile:
     
  9. Oddish

    Oddish Guest

    I get a lot of blackheads on my nose to the point that it looks like a strawberry. I've never used strips but I do use a facial toner that works so well I haven't gotten any acne in months since I started using it.

    A salicylic acid toner would probably be the most helpful since it penetrates the pores and helps clear out the dead skin cells and bacteria that can cause pimples.

    ---------- Post added 24th Jan 2013 at 10:40 AM ----------

    Ah, weird. My mum confused those spots on my nose for blackheads as well. Once I started using the toner I use now, I saw them decrease a bit, though. And my skin besides on my nose is much more clear and less prone to acne (though my acne isn't bad, just like an average teenager thing. Also having olive skin hides a lot of it most of the time.)

    Didn't know those black spots were 'sebacious filaments'. I learned something new today.
     
  10. TheUndiscovered

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    I'm 17, I use some facial scrub in the shower but that's it, it usually keeps my face pretty clear.

    ---------- Post added 23rd Jan 2013 at 06:34 PM ----------

    That's all I have then, nothing that hurts just these build ups of dirt or whatever. Is there any way to remove these for long periods of time or is it best to leave them or..?
     
  11. RueBea85

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    Wow thanks Ridiculous! I never knew that, all this time I had always thought they were blackheads lol. Great advice!