9 Tricks to Send Your Blackheads to Their Swift, Painless Death (2024)

Something you already know: Blackheads are super freaking annoying. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with them—we all have them to some extent, and acne is just a natural part of this suuuper-fun thing called LIFE—it’s just that if you do try to get rid of them, they never seem to freaking leave. And TBH, that’s not totally your fault. Blackheads can’t always be treated the same as your other zits, and trying to pick and squeeze them can actually make them worse.

So, what to do? Uh, ask two board-certified dermatologists to break down their favorite blackhead treatments that actually work, like I did, below. Keep reading to find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about those black dots on your face—and how to get rid of them for good.

Ooh, look at this cute little blackhead photo! That’s basically what’s happening on your face! Yay! “A blackhead is a waxy plug made of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria that gets lodged into your pore and blocks it,” says Zoe Draelos, MD, a dermatologist in Durham, North Carolina. “Then, as the wax plug slowly gets pushed toward the skin’s surface to be expelled, it comes in contact with the air, oxidizing it and turning the tip of the oil plug black.” Yummy.

I mean, the color alone is a pretty big giveaway, but unlike a blackhead, a whitehead has a very thin layer of skin over the oil plug that prevents it from oxidizing (and, thus, keeps the blemish white and gooey. Sorry). And because these are two very different kinds of breakouts, they need to be treated very differently. Lucky for you, we’re about to tell you how.

If you have blackheads, it’s tempting to douse your face in as many acne-fighting products and cleansers as possible. But fun fact, harsh face wash can actually cause more blackheads, thanks to the fact that it dries out your skin and causes it to overproduce oil, leading to more clogged pores. So be gentle with your cleanser and use a hydrating, sulfate-free face wash to help balance your oils, like this one from Neutrogena.

Again, the goal in getting rid of blackheads isn’t to annihilate your skin (which will do more harm than good) but to treat it gently and use ingredients that work below the surface, like salicylic acid. Salicylic acid breaks down and dissolves the gunky oil in your pores, helping to clear your blackheads over time. Swipe this gentle toner over your clean, dry skin every other night, wait a full five minutes for it to do its thang, then apply the rest of your skincare products on top. “It’ll also help prevent new blackheads from forming by keeping your pores clear,” says Dr. Draelos.

If you’ve tried salicylic acid for at least four weeks (seriously—give it time) and you still aren’t seeing a blackhead improvement, try adding a retinoid to your routine. “Retinol helps speed up cell turnover, helping to reduce the ‘stickiness’ between your cells that can clog pores,” says dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor at Yale University. Smooth a pea-size drop across your face (or just to your blackheads, if you have sensitive skin) three nights a week, following with a moisturizer.

Sometimes, your blackheads have a lil covering that needs to be gently exfoliated away to help your ingredients penetrate better. Enter: peel pads. “The wax plug that’s stuck inside of your pore is very sticky, so loosening it up first with a pad can help it work its way out,” says Dr. Draelos. Once or twice a week, gently swab your face (or just your blackheads) with a wipe that contains AHAs (aka alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic and lactic).

Okay, so cleansing brushes are not the first-step choice in treating blackheads, because they can be kinda irritating for certain skin types. And frankly, chemicals (like acids) do a far better job at exfoliating your skin than brushes ands scrubs do. Still, if you’re not seeing an improvement after six weeks, try gently washing your face with your cleanser and a facial brush twice a week. “Their quick vibrations can help loosen up the plugs faster,” says Dr. Draelos.

“Using an oil-absorbing clay mask once a week for 10 to 15 minutes helps control the amount of oil that sits on your skin,” says Dr. Draelos. “And the less oil you have on the surface, the less your pores will be clogged and the fewer blackheads you’ll see.” Of course, if you have already dry or sensitive skin, skip the clay altogether—it can strip your skin of oils and lead to an excess oil production (and more blackheads, womp).

With 25 percent AHA (alpha hydroxy acids, like lactic and glycolic) and 2 percent BHA (beta hydroxy acids, like salicylic), this night serum works to resurface your skin by exfoliating away any built-up dead skin cells that can contribute to clogged pores. Once every two weeks, leave it on clean, dry skin for 20 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water (this formula can be intense, so don’t go crazy). Slowly but surely, your blackheads will quite literally disappear.

If you’re trying every acne trick in the book to get rid of blackheads, you’re likely also drying out your skin—which, if you’ve learned even one thing today, can lead to even oilier skin and more blackheads. So instead of reaching for some watery, gel-like nonsense, slap on a rich moisturizer every night to prevent irritation. This medium-weight formula helps soothe acne-prone skin, thanks to its mix of witch hazel, glycerin, and algae extracts. And no, it won’t give you even more blackheads.