Help with Blackheads!

[MBeauty55]

Hello! 

I have tried numerous different products, exfoliators, strips, masks, etc. for blackheads especially around my nose area. I have not had success with products I've tried to clear my blackheads 😥. Does anyone have any holy grail recommendations for blackhead removal/cleansing especially around the nose area?

Thanks in advance 💝

[WinglessOne]

Hello @MBeauty55 ! My “holy grail recommendation” is to see a dermatologist (if you can) for skin diagnosis and personalized treatment options. Aside from that, the usual blackhead treatments are: 

• Retinoid - this vitamin A family includes tretinoin (available only by prescription in the US), adapalene, retinaldehyde, and retinol. Of those 4, the first 2 are FDA approved for acne treatment. Adapalene’s available OTC in the US as Differin Gel, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel, and a few other brands. You’ll find Differin and LRP at your local drug store or Target. Be sure to start slooowly with adapalene: use it just 1-2 times a week (never twice on the same day) for a while, then increase to 2-3 times a week, and keep gradually increasing frequency like that. Retinoids in general can be very irritating, so you don’t wanna start off using it daily. You might notice lots of new acne pop up during the first month of use; that’s probably “purging,” as retinoids speed up your skin cell turnover cycle; think of it as adapalene evicting crud from your pores. Make sure you have a good moisturizer on hand, because adapalene can also be drying. 
  
  
• Salicylic acid (BHA) - gets down into your pores to degunk ‘em. If you’ve already tried 2% salicylic acid (not “willow bark extract” which won’t do the same thing as SA), it might just need an acne-fighting partner (like adapalene and/or the next ingredient I’ll list). SA’s a reliable go-to for several types of acne. 
  
  
• Benzoyl peroxide - if your skin will tolerate it, this can be very helpful for blackheads. I recommend trying it in cleanser form: at your drugstore/Target, look for PanOxyl 4% Acne Wash. (Also comes in 10% strength but you might not need that.) Or consider The INKEY List SuperSolutions 5% Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser Acne Solution 5 oz / 150 mL (another cleanser). You can wash with either of those once a day—maybe start off using it just a couple days a week at first—and then apply BHA. 

If you want to try all three of those, consider using adapalene at night and the other two (benzoyl peroxide and BHA) in the morning. That’s a good way to reduce irritation. You might also wanna pick one (I’d start with adapalene), use it for a while, then introduce a second one (I’d probably pick salicylic acid) and use it alongside adapalene for a while, and finally add the third to the party. 

You mentioned having tried masks, so I didn’t mention clay masks. But that’s another option to consider. Definitely don’t use pore strips: they do nothing for blackheads. If strips pull up gunk from your nose, those aren’t blackheads, they’re sebaceous filaments—and you can’t permanently remove those because they’re a natural function of human skin (they bring sebum up onto the skin surface). If that’s what you have instead of true blackheads, then ignore my 1st and 3rd bullets up there and just stick with BHA. 😉 

[MBeauty55]

@WinglessOne thank you SO much for all the information I really appreciate it! I’ve been considering booking an appointment with a dermatologist and I think now I will do that ☺️. Thank you again! 🩷💟

[CynthieLu]

Using cleansers with salicylic acid gently on the area everyday eventually can help reduce them @MBeauty55 

Another tip, is making sure when cleansing that area you take your time. Sometimes we can rush our face washing routine, slowing it down and gently washing for a full minute can give the ingredients time to do thier work. 

[MBeauty55]

@CynthieLu Thank you so much for the information and tips, I really appreciate it! 🥰🩷

[CynthieLu]

I hope it helps @MBeauty55 and remember it can take weeks to see results from changes in your skin care routine. 💞