How to Remove Blackheads

No matter how much we scrub and wash our faces, black heads just seem to appear all over our noses. Here are some good ways to keep your skin clear and avoid blackheads.

Steps

Nose-Strip Method

1. Wet your nose with a clean face cloth and then dry your hands.
   
2. Open the packet that the nose strip is in, and rip the little tabs for a better fit on your nose.
   
3. Put the sticky side on your nose, wet it again and wait for around 10 minutes.
   
4. After 10 minutes, the nose strip should be as hard as papier mache. Remove it.
   

Removing Tool Method

1. Fill a wide bowl with hot (but not boiling) water.
   
2. Rest your head over the water, so that your face can take advantage of the steam.
   
3. Empty the bowl and clean the blackhead removing tool with soap and water. Proceed to use the removing tool, carefully following the instructions.
   

Facial Scrub Method

1. Wash your face and rinse with water. Do not bother to dry it.
   
2. Take a quarter-sized amount of facial scrub and lather through clean hands.
   
3. Massage your face with the scrub to exfoliate the skin.
   
4. Rinse and wash face again if necessary.
   

Steaming Method

1. You may be familiar with this method of treating colds. However, it is also highly effective in treating blackheads.
   
2. Boil up a pot of water; adding lemon is an option.
   
3. Throwing a towel over your head so it covers the pot, keeping the steam within, lean over the pot and breathe deeply.
   
4. Do this for five minutes, until your face is quite wet from steam and also perspiration. This opens your pores.
   
5. At this point, you may choose to run a cotton make up pad over affected areas to dislodge blackheads.
   
6. Continuing on, add some cooler water to the pot so that the water remains quite hot, but not boiling, so that you may apply it to affected areas. Do so with a wet cotton pad, wringing it out, and pressing blackhead areas with the pad. Ensure the pad remains hot. Also, be careful not to burn yourself!
   
7. Cleanse after the use of this method.
   

Waxing At Salon

1. This is a little unheard of but it is a myth that black hair will grow where you wax.
   
2. Just have the beautician wax nose and other places with blackheads. Most beauticians have done this before.
   

Things You'll Need

• Nose-Strips, try Biore.
• Soap
  
• Facial Scrub, try Clean & Clear, Skin iD by Neutrogena or Biore Warming Anti-blackhead Cream Cleanser
  
• Blackhead Removing Tool, available at Sephora and The Body Shop.
  
• A good oil-free moisturizer, or Enzymion (from Lush). This is fast-acting and the fruit enzymes in it break down oil on the skin's surface- no more shiny noses!
  

Tips

• Only use the strips once a week.
• Keep the strip on until it is dry.
  
• Try not to touch your face. It's a hard habit to break, but dirt, oil, and germs will get into your face and block your pores.
  

Warnings

• Be careful when removing nose strips; they can create spider veins around the nose, if pulled too hard.
  
• Do not use a facial scrub if you have other bad acne -- it could spread the acne and make it worse.
  
• If you have sensitive skin, the strips may cause irritation and redness for up to 24 hours.
  

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