Small bumps under skin

[#1]

I am 21 years old and I used to struggle with moderate acne breakouts and now my skin has calmed down and I only get the occasional blemish on my face (maybe 1 or 2 blemishes at a time). No matter what I try, I can't seem to get rid of these tiny bumps under the skin that appear to be small blemishes that are not making it to the skin surface. Also I have blackheads like you can't believe and would love to get rid of them. What are some products I can use that will even out my skin texture, rid me of blackheads, and help me fight off acne? Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

[#2]

Hi Mandy 5221, 

This sounds more like cystic acne, I would get them too lots of times! Hard blemishes that hurt and irritate my skin but just never make it to the skin's surface. I've tried using a gel cleanser as well as an acne fighting toner which definitely helps. My favorites are the Clinique Acne Clearing Lotion and the Kate Somervill Purifying Cleanser:

 

But what has made the most difference in my skin (using every 2-3 days) is the Clarisonic Mia which has gotten rid of makeup buildup, dead skin cells and bacteria that were causing breakouts. I've been using my brush nearly 2 months now and have yet to have ANY pimples or cystic acne creeping up on my skin. This is a great cleansing tool that may help your skin too!