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(Youknowthe onewith the screaming and cursing?
If you haven’tgetonthat, because wow.)
Now, while most of us (hopefully!)
Physical scrubs can really help keep pores clean while chemical exfoliants are a great way to remove excess oil.
However, over-using either of these can actually do more damage than good.
Think: red, irritated, dry skin.
Exfoliating particles in scrubs can cause skin inflammation, explains New York City-based dermatologistDr.
Along with the roughness on skin, over-exfoliation can actually worsen the problem.
Avoid scrubbing your face vigorously when exfoliating, explains New York City celebrity aestheticianChristine Chin.
This can actually make acne and blackheads worse and can trigger more oil production.
(PS:Here’s a quick primer on finding the right exfoliator for your skin pop in.)
Mistake #2: Youre picking at them.
Its a phrase everyones heard before either from a skin care professional or your mom.
Mistake #3: Youre not prepping your skin before you extract.
So while picking is wrong, extracting is right, but only when done correctly.
And properly prepping skin is always a good place to start.
Celebrity estheticianRenee Rouleaurecommends doing extractions right after a shower.
Youll also want to apply a thin layer of a heavy moisturizer before starting.
Mistake #4: You dont have the extraction technique down.
Extractions can be done either with a tool or your fingers.
Press in a downward manner and follow with a Q-tip.
First off, dont place your fingers too closely together surrounding the blackhead.
While squeezing, relocate fingers to make it easier and to avoid creating marks.
For example, position fingers at 3:00 and 9:00 and then 5:00 and then 10:00, 2:00 and 7:00.
And heaven forbid, donotuse your nails, lest you risk puncturing your skin.
Mistake #5: Youre not letting go of the stubborn ones.
First off, you should really only be targeting the darkest, more obvious blackheads from the start.
But if one of those dark blackheads doesnt pop, move on.
My general rule is three strikes and youre out, explains Rouleau.
So if its not coming out, that means it’s not the time to remove it.
you might just come back to it another day.
Its better than causing damage.
Mistake #6: Youre not moisturizing enough.
This may seem strange, but keeping your skin’s oil levels balanced is key to minimizing blackheads.
Overly dry skin can start to produce excess blackhead-causing oil, explains Chin.
double-check you maintain a normal flow of oil from your pores by keeping your skin’s moisture level balanced.
(Check out a few of our favorite moisturizers, here.)
