Q: It doesn’t matter how often I wash my face, I can’t seem to sidestep deep, ugly blackheads. With the recession and subsequent budget-tightening on my end, going for expensive facials to get rid of them is no more. How can I annihilate my blackheads in the comfort of my own bathroom?
MG: Oh, the dreaded blackhead. They’re the bane of my skin’s existence, too, dear reader. Let’s go over exactly what a blackhead is in order to tackles the buggers correctly. A blackhead is excess oil that has clogged a pore; when that pore is open, the oil is exposed to oxygen and subsequently turns a dark color.
I know how hard it is not to touch a blemish or skin imperfection, so here is how to tackle a blackhead by your lonesome:
1. Use a gentle exfoliator to get rid of dead skin and expose the blackhead.
2. Pat your face dry.
3. Put a warm compress or warm washcloth on your face for 10 – 15 minutes to steam open the pore and loosen the offensive blackhead.
4. Pat your face dry for a second time.
5. Place a tissue around each pointer finger.
6. Gently push down around the blackhead and then up — you want to excavate out the bugger from underneath.
If the blackhead doesn’t come out, DO NOT force it. You’ll potentially make the problem worse AND scar your skin on top of it.
At this point, you might be required to allocate money for nights on the town and dinners out to a session with your favorite esthetician.
