Before you try to pop a blackhead it is very important to know the root cause of it. Understanding your skin is perhaps the most important part of any kind of skincare because when you know your skin type and what works for you and what doesn’t, everything else becomes relatively easier. 

As much as it sucks, the chances of blackhead formation is more when you have oily skin. Blackheads are basically the excess oil that collects in your pores and for a quick myth busting session, they are black in colour not because it is dirt but because when oil oxidises it turns black. 

So the chances of you having blackheads is naturally more when you have oily skin but hey! don’t you worry because you’ll remain youthful for much longer than most of your peers. 

First and foremost thing to know is that, you can never completely get rid of them, as annoying as that is, blackheads naturally reform in 20-40 days time. So the only way to keep them at bay is by attending to them at regular intervals. 

The one good thing is that there are many ways this can be done, probably the easiest way to keep them at bay is exfoliation. By exfoliating, you’re removing dead skin and the residue oils, makeup or skincare that your normal cleanser wasn’t able to get rid off. But one thing to keep in mind is that you should never go overboard with this process, this can be done weekly once or twice or else there are chances of you damaging or irritating your skin. 

It’s really hard for you to miss videos on Instagram and Facebook where people put a thick greyish looking paste on their nose and then removing it after a while for the big reveal. Yes, we are talking about pore strips. Although this can be a quick fix, it is not really advisable that this be done regularly. Instead go for clay masks, getting rid of clay masks can be a tedious process but it’s definitely worth the shot, it helps you deep clean and also reduces oil production. 

If you feel like your blackheads are out of control, maybe it’s time to change up your skincare a bit. Check the ingredients in your everyday products, be on the lookout for non-comedogenic products, products that are thick in nature generally tend to clog your pores so be on the hunt for lightweight and gel based moisturisers. After this change, you might just see a huge improvement in your overall skin texture. 

And even after all this, if you still feel the need to visit a dermatologist then go ahead but just know that blackheads and other skin related problems are very normal and there is really no need for you to beat yourself up for it. We often focus so much on looking our best but maybe we just need to stop and ask ourselves if we’re feeling the same too.