My 3-Step Plan for Reducing Blackheads

Of all the skin questions that I get asked, “How do I get rid of my blackheads?” has to rank near the top of the list. Blackheads are a fact of life; almost all of us have them and we all hate them.

What is a blackhead? Blackheads are large, open pores containing oil that has oxidized from the air causing it to turn black. Contrary to what most people believe, it’s not “dirt”, it’s simply oxidized oil. You can remove the blackhead but once the oil fills back up in the pore, the air will cause the oil to oxidize again and now the blackhead is back.

Here’s my three-step plan for removing blackheads and keeping them away:

Step 1: Remove the blackheads

Whether you remove them yourself (gently, of course) or have a professional facial, they must be manually extracted.

-In a professional facial, your esthetician will raise the temperature of the skin by applying warm steam to the skin and performing a facial massage to “melt” the hardened oil within the pores to make for easier extractions. When the skin is properly prepared, extractions shouldn’t leave the skin with significant red marks. A cooling mask (see our famous seaweed mask) post-extraction will help to calm the skin and reduce any visible redness.

-For do-it-yourself extractions, it’s best to remove blackheads after a shower since the skin temperature has been raised. After showering, apply a thin coat of the heaviest moisturizer you have to the skin. By using a rich moisturizer, it will create a temporary occlusive seal to keep the heat trapped in the skin, which for extractions purposes is necessary. Next, cover the area with cellophane/plastic wrap and apply warm, damp towels for five minutes. Remove the plastic and wrap tissue over each forefinger and gently squeeze to remove blackheads. To avoid creating squeeze marks, go easy and be sure to relocate the position of your fingers. For example, position fingers at 3:00 and 9:00 and then 5:00 and 10:00. You can then apply a cooling gel mask (like Azulene Gel Mask) to reduce any redness…

Note: Remember the pore-cleansing strips that were sold years ago for blackhead removal? All they did was remove hairs on the nose, but they sold millions of them because everyone was hoping to find the miracle cure.

Step 2: Use acid-based products to keep pores clean

Once the pores are clean, it’s important to incorporate products into your routine that use acids, such as AHA’s and BHA’s to keep them cleaned out and prevent the oil from filling back up so quickly. Skin care products with acids might include cleansers (see AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel), Glycolic Acid serums (see our collection of Glycolic Acid Serums) and peels (see Triple Berry Smoothing Peel). Be sure the products are gentle and do not contain SD Alcohol 40 or Denatured Alcohol. Note: Do not use any acid-based products for at least 24 hours after manual extractions.

Step 3: Prevent oil from oxidizing

This part is key in lessening the appearance of blackheads. As I mentioned, a blackhead is oil that has oxidized and turned black, so if you can prevent the oil from oxidizing, the oil will not turn black (or at least as quickly).

Antioxidants used in skin care products have many benefits such as encouraging collagen production, lightening discoloration (brown spots) and slowing down the production of skin-damaging free radicals, but one surprising benefit is their ability to prevent oil from oxidizing, hence the name antioxidants meaning ‘anti oxidation’ Here’s an example of how antioxidants prevent oxidation. You know when you cut an apple into slices and after a while it turns brown? What would you do to prevent it from turning brown (oxidizing)? Simple…just squeeze lemon juice, which is high in vitamin C, onto the apple and the apple will not turn brown as quickly. Well the same rules apply to  the skin and blackheads. Now I can’t speak for all antioxidant products but I can tell you for certain, our Vitamin C & E Complex uses three forms of stable, no-sting Vitamin C which makes this product not only suitable for preventing blackheads, but for sensitive skin too.

Tip: If you’re concerned about blackheads, do not use Vitamin C products if the color has started to turn brown as this is an indication the Vitamin C is oxidizing. Also, the darker the color of the product (such as dark orange or light brown), the less Vitamin C is available in the formula so it’s not giving your skin the best antioxidant protection your skin needs to lessen the appearance of wrinkles—or reduce blackheads.

Which Renée Rouleau products are helpful in reducing blackheads?

-Triple Berry Smoothing Peel is loaded with five different acids: glycolic, malic, salicylic, tartaric and mandelic, which are all beneficial acids for keeping blackheads away.

- Our collection of Glycolic Serums and AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel are both extremely effective in keeping the pores clean and blackheads away.

-Vitamin C&E Complex helps to prevent the oil from turning dark (black).

So there you have it – my professional plan for removing blackheads and keeping them from being so noticeable and re-appearing so quickly.

Note: Blackheads will slowly re-appear over time, so it’s important to get regular monthly facials to get the pores manually cleaned.  See the facials offered at Renée Rouleau Skin Care Spas!

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