How to extract blackheads

What are you trying to remove?

A blackhead is an open, plugged pore, also called an open comedone. The plug contains excess oil and dead skin cells, and the dark dot is not dirt. Blackheads can look grey, brown, orange or black. A whitehead is a closed bump, not the same thing with a different colour. Deep, painful lumps are a different type of acne and need a dermatologist's help, not an attempt at blackhead extraction.23

How do you extract blackheads from your face?

During professional extraction, the provider prepares the skin and removes the plug using sterilized equipment. Preparation can include exfoliation or light steaming. A sterile metal instrument called a comedone extractor is one option; some professionals use fingers covered in cotton. Proper technique matters as much as the instrument. Buying an extractor does not make pressing it into your face equivalent to a professional procedure.14

A trained aesthetician can also perform blackhead extractions during a facial. Ask whether manual extraction is included before booking. A facial booking does not automatically include extraction, because even pore cleaning has an extras menu. Your provider should give you skin care instructions for after the appointment.5

Why not squeeze them yourself?

Squeezing can push material deeper into the skin, increasing inflammation, pain and the risk of permanent scars. Bacteria on your hands can also cause infection. Repeated picking can leave dark marks. Stop picking or squeezing rather than increasing pressure when a plug will not come out. Scrubbing is not a safer substitute: it can irritate skin and worsen acne.146

What should you do at home instead?

1. 1Wash your face gently twice a day. Use a gentle cleanser rather than a scrub, and remove makeup at the end of the day.
2. 2Choose a blackhead treatment. A salicylic acid wash used once daily is one option. If it dries your skin, reduce the strength rather than pushing through dryness.
3. 3Consider a retinoid for persistent blocked pores. Retinoids help prevent dead skin cells from collecting inside pores. Adapalene is available without a prescription in some markets; tretinoin requires a prescription. A treatment plan can place a salicylic acid cleanser in the morning and a retinoid at night.
4. 4Use skincare and makeup labelled noncomedogenic, meaning designed not to clog pores. Wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and keep your hands away from the blackheads.

For sensitive skin, azelaic acid is a milder option that can help clear pores, although it is less effective against blackheads than salicylic acid or retinoids. Benzoyl peroxide targets acne causing bacteria rather than directly clearing blackheads. Pore strips lift out congestion temporarily, but can cause irritation and dryness.4

How long does clearing take?

Give blackhead treatment six to eight weeks to work. Extraction removes an existing plug; it does not retire the pore from active duty. Blackheads can return after removal, so continue a skin care plan that prevents new blockages. Persistent blackheads can need professional extraction or prescription treatment.13

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if treatment is not helping, spots are deep or painful, or acne is causing scars. Get medical advice for hot, swollen or red skin, which can signal infection; redness is harder to see on brown and black skin. Acne that affects your mental health is also a reason to seek help.6