If you want to get rid of blackheads, try some home remedies first, like a homemade nose scrub. You must then prevent them by washing your face twice a day; never tease or crush them. Finally, consider using professional products, such as salicylic acid cleansers or pore cleansing patches.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Using Home Remedies
Step 1. Do a steam treatment before applying a scrub
The steam reduces the appearance of pores by softening them and making the process of removing blackheads with the scrub easier.
- Get a large bowl, water, and a clean towel.
- Boil the water, then let it cool a little and pour it into the bowl.
- Lean over the bowl and cover your head with the towel to trap the steam near your face.
- Hold this position for 5-10 minutes, being careful not to get too close to burn yourself.
- Rinse your face with warm water and pat dry.
- Repeat the treatment several times a week before applying the scrub.
Step 2. Exfoliate your nose with baking soda
It is an important procedure because it allows to eliminate dead cells, preventing them from clogging the pores and causing blackheads; moreover, it reactivates the circulation of the skin, giving it a healthy and radiant appearance.
- Mix two teaspoons of baking soda with mineral water in a bowl until a paste is created; apply it on the nose and massage gently so as not to damage the epidermis.
- Wait a few minutes for the dough to dry before rinsing with hot water; repeat the treatment once or twice a week.
- Baking soda helps dry blackheads, as well as making the skin brighter and cleaner.
- If you wish, you can add apple cider vinegar to the dough; this product is a natural astringent and antibacterial.
Step 3. Make an oat scrub
The combination of oats, lemon juice and yogurt is perfect for keeping the skin free from blemishes.
- Mix two tablespoons of oats, three tablespoons of plain yogurt and the juice of half a lemon.
- Apply the resulting mixture on your nose, let it act for a few minutes and then rinse it off with hot water.
- You can make a similar one with oats, honey and tomatoes; in this case, combine a teaspoon of honey with the juice of four tomatoes and several spoonfuls of oats.
- Apply the paste to your nose and let it sit for ten minutes, then rinse it off with hot water.
- Repeat the treatment regularly, at least once a week.
Step 4. Make a sugar scrub
If possible, use jojoba oil, as it is the most similar to the skin's natural sebum; sebum is an oily substance produced by the body to prevent the skin from drying out. If you can't get jojoba oil, use alternatives, such as grapeseed, olive, or sweet almond oil.
- Pour 4 tablespoons of oil with 200 g of white or whole sugar into a glass jar and mix until the two substances are well blended.
- Wet your face and put some of this mixture on your fingers to massage it into your skin and nose in circular motions.
- Continue the treatment for 1-2 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
- Do not apply this scrub more than 2-3 times a week so as not to dry out or irritate the skin.
- Store it in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to two months.
Step 5. Make a clay mask
If you want to get a quality one, use bentonite, which you can buy online and in many health food stores. This clay is rich in minerals and has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, especially those associated with skin problems. By applying this mask, the skin absorbs the minerals, while the clay extracts the blackheads.
- Mix a tablespoon of bentonite with water or apple cider vinegar until it forms a rather thick but easy to spread paste.
- Use your fingers to cover your nose with a thin layer of this paste and let it sit for 10-20 minutes, depending on how long you want to let it dry. as it dries, you should feel the skin on your face becoming tight. Some people find that this remedy dries or irritates the skin when left in place for too long, especially if they already have dry skin. then adjust the application time according to your skin type.
- Rinse your face with warm water and spread a moisturizer on your nose.
- To obtain satisfactory results, this treatment should be repeated regularly, at least once a week.
Step 6. Apply the egg white
Although the smell of raw egg is quite unpleasant, egg white is rich in nutrients and less drying the skin than other home remedies for blackheads.
- Get an egg, a face towel or toilet paper, a small container, and a clean towel.
- Separate the egg white from the yolk in a bowl.
- Wash your face using your favorite cleansing product.
- Pat the skin dry and use your fingers to apply a thin layer of egg white to your nose.
- Wait for this first layer to dry and then spread another one; finally apply a third, making sure each has dried before adding the next.
- Leave the last layer to act for 15 minutes; at this point, you should feel the skin tight and tight. This is a good sign and means that the egg white has attached itself to the epidermis and blackheads.
- Wet the towel in hot water and rub it gently on the skin to remove the egg white; then dries the skin by dabbing it.
Step 7. Make pore cleansing strips yourself
They are composed of a material on which to apply a sort of adhesive and then they must be made to adhere to the nose or face; when you tear one from your skin, you also get rid of the plug of sebum and dead cells that clogs the pores, thereby removing blackheads. However, know that this remedy does not prevent them from forming, but simply removes those already present once they have opened.
- If you want to make sure the patches don't contain chemicals or fragrances like commercial ones, make them with milk and honey.
- Get a tablespoon of raw honey, a teaspoon of milk, and a strip of cotton that acts as a "band-aid" (you can use a piece of shirt or towel).
- Pour the two ingredients into a microwave safe container; heat them for 5-10 seconds, mixing them until they are well blended.
- Check the temperature to avoid burning yourself and then apply a thin layer of the mixture on your nose.
- Gently place the cotton strip on the skin with a little pressure.
- Let it dry for at least 20 minutes and then carefully tear it off.
- Rinse your nose with cold water and pat it dry.
- This treatment should be repeated regularly to eliminate comedones.
Step 8. Make a natural facial toner
It is great for eliminating dead cells and reducing any redness or inflammation, especially around the nose. use cooling plants, such as mint, to soothe irritated skin.
- Combine in a bottle three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with as many of fresh and chopped mint leaves; let the mixture rest for a week in a cool, dark place.
- Filter the mixture, add 250ml of water and store the toner in the refrigerator for up to six days.
- Apply the product on your nose every night using a cotton ball and after washing your face with water.
- If you have sensitive skin, leave it on overnight or at least for several hours.
- After applying the toner, moisturize the epidermis.
Method 2 of 3: Preventing Blackheads
Step 1. Be aware of the myths about blackheads
It is not possible to completely get rid of these imperfections, partly because they are not caused by the accumulation of dirt, but by that of sebum and dead skin which, reacting with oxygen, become the black substance you see inside the pores.
- Furthermore, it is impossible to narrow, close or open the pores, since they are not muscles; they are simply holes that contain the hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
- Although some substances, like lemon or mint, can make them appear smaller, know that they don't actually shrink.
- There are other factors that play an important role in their apparent diameter, for example genetics, age and sun exposure; however, there are no magical cures to reduce them.
Step 2. Cleanse the face of excess sebum
Wash your face no more than twice a day with a mild, oil-free cleanser. If you wear makeup every day, be sure to clean up regularly, as cosmetic residue can build up on your skin.
Exfoliate your face using a natural or professional method and use a commercial or home toner every day
Step 3. Wash the pillowcase at least once a week
By doing this, you eliminate the dead cells and the sebum that settles on the fabric every night.
Step 4. Keep your hair away from your face and try not to touch the face with your hands
Hair can be covered with germs and bacteria that could transfer to the skin on the face and nose.
Avoid touching your face or nose with your hands; these hold dirt, germs and bacteria that could contaminate the skin and cause the buildup of sebum responsible for blackheads
Step 5. Never tease or squeeze blackheads
You could inflame or infect the skin of the nose and even cause scarring.
Also, when using exfoliating products, avoid scrubbing too hard, as this could trigger irritation and inflammation
Method 3 of 3: Using Professional Products
Step 1. Use a cleanser with salicylic acid and glycolic acid
The best way to break down the sebum that clogs the pores is by using products based on salicylic acid or beta hydroxy acids; constant application helps prevent blackheads from forming and unclog pores.
- Salicylic acid works in combination with glycolic acid to cleanse the skin of dead cells and dirt that settles on the surface.
- Specific acne products, such as Benzac and others, contain these active ingredients.
Step 2. Purchase blackhead patches
Over-the-counter medicated ones remove sebum blockages from the pores of the nose, thereby eliminating blemishes.
Step 3. Ask your dermatologist about retinoids
They contain vitamin A, work by freeing the pores and prevent the formation of blackheads.
- Prescription retinoids are more effective and you can find them in pill form; many pharmacies also sell retinol preparations that do not require a prescription.
- When you start taking retinoids, your skin may peel off a little, but after 3-7 regular applications per week over a period of 4-6 weeks, the side effects are reduced, showing brighter and cleaner skin.
Step 4. Ask your dermatologist about microdermabrasion
It is a professional treatment that uses the action of microcrystals to gently remove the outer layer of the epidermis, including blackheads. The process exfoliates and rejuvenates the skin on the nose, giving it a smoother and brighter look.
