Guest blog by Renée Rouleau
What is a blackhead?
These are large pores that contain oil that has oxidized with the air causing it to turn black.
There have been countless products sold through the years that claimed to remove them, but nothing seems to be effective. (Remember the pore-cleansing strips that were sold years ago for blackhead removal? All they did was remove hairs on the nose.) Some estheticians will use a suction device that claims to “vacuum” them out of the pores, but all it does is cause redness and potentially damage capillaries.
What you can do?
Although there is no way to permanently get rid of blackheads, your best bet is regular monthly deep pore cleansing facials where the blackheads are manually extracted from the skin. Go to an experienced, trusted esthetician who will properly soften up the skin and gently remove them without injuring the skin. I recommend post-facial to use an Alpha Hydroxy Acid or Beta Hydroxy Acid product (try Renée Rouleau Glycolic Serum) to keep the pores cleaned out. Long term use of Retin-A can also help but it has to be used regularly and for years before you can really see a difference. Avoid the ingredients Isopropyl Myristate and Isopropyl Palmitate in your skin care products as these can contribute to the formation of blackheads.
Bottom line: Don’t get fooled by anyone selling you products that claim to remove blackheads. Trust me, if there was a cure, we would all know about it and I’d be the first to bring it to you. I’ve been squeezing out blackheads out of my client’s skin for over 20 years and my hands are getting tired!