“Blackhead.” Even the word looks ominous. They look even worse on your face. I know - I’ve been there. I’ve endured painful extractions, but they always came back. I used to
console myself by believing they were meant to be there, like
freckles.
When those pore strips came out, I ran out and bought half a
dozen boxes. They didn’t work for me either.
One remedy I’ve found that truly gets rid of blackheads is
Differin Gel. Differin is a topical medication available by
prescription from your dermatologist. Used once daily, it
helps lessen oil production, keeps breakouts at bay and gets rid
of those horrid little black spots. Consult your doctor to see
if you’re a candidate for Differin, or another prescription
treatment option.
If a prescription isn’t an option for you, the next best thing is daily use of beta hydroxy acid, better known as salicylic acid. It can penetrate the pores better than an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid), which only works on the surface cells of your skin, to loosen the pore-clogging oil and dead skin cells that create blackheads. One of my favorite effective and inexpensive salicylic acid products is Paula’s Choice 1% BHA Solution (paulaschoice.com). This light lotion can be used all over your face or just on the trouble spots, and it’s fairly gentle so you can use it every day (just once a day, though). For more stubborn blackheads they also offer a 2% solution in liquid form that I find works great on regular pimples as well. You can dab it on with a cotton pad or swab and the blemishes clear up within just a day or so.
