How To Say Bye-Bye To Blackheads With Some Simple Steps

If you've never had an ugly blackhead, congratulations! You are not from this planet. But seriously, blackheads are a form of acne. And these tiny black dots that like to hang out on your nose, and even on the ears, chest, and back, can be stubborn follicle bumps that can ruin a complexion.

No need to worry, you can say bye-bye to blackheads. Whatever you do, please do not attempt to squeeze out a blackhead with your fingers. Forcing out a blackhead in this manner can cause infection, and yes, even scarring. You might make the situation even worse.

Blackheads are actually acne, in the form of comedones, which are a plug of sebaceous and dead skin material stuck in the opening of a hair follicle. The follicle may be open (blackhead) or almost closed (whitehead). Take a look at the diagram below to get a better idea of how the blackhead looks below the complexion surface.

We know, it ain't pretty, and it sure ain't pleasant to talk about, but---there are ways to improve this common acne problem.

A steamy shower or hot facial is great before blackhead extraction. You can also try a number of beauty treatments. Retin-A, which is prescription-based, stimulates fast cell turnover, helping to expel or get rid of plugged pores. There is also benzoyl peroxide lotion, which helps 'unplug' too, when the blackheads aren't too severe a problem.

You could also apply salicylic acid cream, which helps to exfoliate the skin, bringing blackheads closer to the surface to help in easier removal.

And there are also blackhead strips that you place on the black dots to gently 'lift' away these impurities. And many of you are familiar with a little, stainless steel tool or extractor that quickly and painlessly removes blackheads, designed with double cupped ends.

We also believe in trying all natural ingredients to say bye-bye to blackheads. We heard Dr. Oz talk about epsom salts today, as a great beauty tip to loosen the plugged follicles. So we found a few recipes you might want to try:

1. Make a solution of equal parts Epsom salts, iodine and warm water. Soak a cotton ball in the solution and apply to blackheads. Leave on for 5 minutes and rinse with warm water. Exfoliate with a face scrub immediately to remove the blackheads loosened by the Epsom salt solution.

2. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and water to form a thick paste, and apply to affected blackhead areas. Gently rub your skin for several minutes and wash off with warm water. The baking soda is a good exfoliation remedy, removing blackheads.

3. Make a scrub of 4 tbsp. salt, 1 tsp. honey, and the juice from half a lemon. It should be the consistency of a thick paste. Scrub your face with this mixture for 5 minutes, using your fingers, and rinse and pat dry. Exfoliation is a good way to dislodge blackheads from the skin, and the honey is soothing, while the lemon acts as an astringent.