3 reasons why you shouldn’t squeeze your blackheads
It can be tempting to squeeze blackheads that pop up on your skin. Their texture and noticeability on your skin beckons for removal, but you should not try to pick them for a variety of reasons. You could be risking long-lasting and more harmful skin issues by trying to remove blackheads with your fingers. Read our three major reasons why you should practice good skin care habits instead of picking at your skin. At the very least only let a professional do the job if you have to physically remove blackheads.
1. You Might Not Be Able To Remove The Blackhead
Blackheads can be fairly resilient and hard to remove. You might squeeze and prod without being able to get the blackheads out. This will cause skin irritation and potentially get more bacteria inside the blemish leading to cysts or nodules. In the process you may also stretch your pore which can leave it permanently enlarged. Leave the squeezing to professionals and get a professional facial. They will prep your skin beforehand and also use apparatus instead of the hands which can harbor grease and bacteria.
2. Oil And Bacteria May Cause More Blackheads
Bacteria is embedded within the blackhead and when you expel the blackhead it also releases bacteria which can affect the surrounding pores. It may cause further blackheads down the line. Even if you managed to remove this one blackhead you might be causing more to form by squeezing. “Avoid picking at blackheads! Attempting to extract will introduce additional bacteria and actually cause the opening to get bigger,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes. “Forcing the contents of the gland deeper and causing scarring. It looks easy to get out but the glands are deeper than you think.”
3. Skin Irritation
Squeezing your skin and applying pressure can really irritate your skin. It can cause inflammation in the area where you tried to remove the blackhead and also leave scarring. Occasionally the tissue surrounding the blackhead can also develop dark spots due to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. A blackhead is temporary but scarring and dark spots are not so avoid prodding your skin at all costs.
Instead of squeezing your skin you should use a cleanser such as Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Pore-Purifying 2-in-1 Clay Cleanser and Mask to help deep clean your pores, giving you healthy-looking skin. The creamy clay-based formula multitasks as a detoxifying cleanser or a mask to purify pores. The formula infused with charcoal draws out impurities like a magnet. Another great product to use is Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+Blackhead Eliminating Scrub. Its gel exfoliator deeply cleanses, tightens pores and smoothes the appearance of skin. Formulated with charcoal, this product helps draw out blackhead-causing dirt, oil and impurities revealing fresh, clean skin.
