What are the options for removing blackheads?

Adopting a skincare routine tailored to your specific concerns is the essential first step in eliminating blackheads. By routinely targeting the various mechanisms involved in the formation of open comedones — excess sebum, dead cell buildup, and pore blockage — a well-structured regimen progressively cleanses the skin and helps prevent the reappearance of imperfections.

Step 1: Cleanse the skin.

Cleansing the skin is an essential first step in treating the blackheads, because open comedones form from a mixture of oxidized sebum, dead skin cells, and impurities that accumulate within the pores. A daily cleanse removes excess sebum, pollution, and makeup residue that promote their formation, but it should not strip the skin barrier. Cleansers designed for blackheads must be chosen carefully: if they are too harsh, they trigger sebum overproduction through reactive hyperseborrhea; if they are too gentle, they allow impurities to build up. Thus, cleansing forms the foundation of any treatment to remove blackheads and prepares the skin for the next steps, whether it’s an open comedone treatment or a more targeted deep-cleansing treatment.

Step No. 2: Exfoliate the skin.

To eliminate blackheads, daily cleansing is essential, but it is not sufficient on its own. Once or twice a week, a scrub performed on clean, dry skin helps unclog pores, remove excess dead surface cells, and reduce the formation of new open comedones. Exfoliation thus promotes cell turnover and improves skin texture, making it appear smoother and more even. It should be noted that there are two main categories of exfoliants : chemical exfoliants, formulated with keratolytic agents that act on corneocytes in the stratum corneum to facilitate their removal, and mechanical exfoliants, which rely on abrasive particles. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and the choice primarily depends on individual preference and how the skin responds.

However, this step must be measured: excessively frequent or overly abrasive scrubs can weaken the skin barrier. In response to this irritation, the skin may produce more sebum, which can paradoxically worsen pore blockage. That is why blackhead treatments incorporating a exfoliation must be performed sparingly, at a rate of one to two times per week depending on skin sensitivity and type.

Tip : To facilitate exfoliation, you can take a steam bath beforehand to liquefy sebum. To do this, boil some water to which you can add a few drops of tea tree essential oil, known for its purifying properties. Once the water reaches a boil, place your face above it, covering your head with a towel, and let the steam work for about ten minutes.

Step 3: Purify and protect the skin.

Once the skin is cleansed and exfoliated, you can more effectively dislodge blackheads by focusing on a targeted purification phase. Purifying masks, especially those formulated with clay or charcoal, absorb excess sebum, capture impurities lodged in the pores, and help tighten their appearance. Alternatively or in addition, using a daily exfoliating serum, like our glycolic acid serum, allows for a more gradual approach. This type of blackhead treatment promotes the shedding of dead skin cells that cause pore blockage while helping to prevent new open comedones from forming.

Finally, to ensure this routine remains effective and well tolerated over time, it is essential to protect the skin after purification. The application of a moisturizing cream suited to one’s skin type helps restore the skin barrier, limit water loss, and prevent compensatory reactions such as sebum overproduction. Properly hydrated skin is more balanced, less prone to imperfections, and more receptive to treatments for removing blackheads incorporated into the routine.

It is important to demonstrate patience: blackheads develop slowly and their reduction generally occurs between six and eight weeks after establishing an appropriate skincare routine.

Beyond at-home care, certain dermatology or aesthetic clinics offer specialized procedures for blackhead removal. Several professional techniques exist, ranging from deep skin cleanses to systems that combine exfoliation, suction, and LED light. These methods generally aim to unclog pores more thoroughly than traditional cosmetic treatments. Among these, the HydraFacial has gradually established itself as one of the most commonly used methods to improve the appearance of skin with open comedones.

The HydraFacial is based on a three-step protocol combining a cleansing with a mild peel, controlled suction to extract dead skin cells and sebum from pores, and phototherapy—often blue light. A twelve-week study of twenty adults with mild to moderate acne evaluated the efficacy of HydraFacial treatments administered every two weeks for a total of six sessions.

According to the Global Acne Severity Score, the proportion of patients with clear or almost clear skin increased from 20% to 65% as assessed by investigators, and from 5% to 55% by participants’ self-evaluation, with overall skin improvement noted in 80% to 100% of participants.

The study methodology, however, did not allow for the specific isolation of blackhead progression. Nonetheless, the authors report an overall improvement in inflammatory lesions (papules, pustules) as well as noninflammatory lesions (open and closed comedones), which likely includes blackheads—provided that participants had them at baseline, a detail that was not specified.

Patience is required here as well: blackheads typically do not resolve after the first HydraFacial session, but often clear up after three to six sessions.

Another technique sometimes mentioned in clinics, microneedling involves creating multiple superficial micro-perforations in the skin using fine needles to stimulate skin repair mechanisms and collagen production. This approach is primarily used to improve skin texture and reduce acne scars. Although it is sometimes promoted as beneficial for blackheads, microneedling does not act directly on pore blockage by sebum and dead cells, the processes responsible for open comedones. Moreover, to date, no scientific data confirms the effectiveness of microneedling in removing blackheads.

Among the other options offered in aesthetic medicine are lasers. Depending on their wavelength and mode of action, they can target excess sebum, promote controlled exfoliation, or exert a thermal effect that may tighten the pores. A study specifically evaluated an advanced optimized pulsed light modality (AOPT-MTL) in 42 patients presenting blackheads on the nose, treated every two to three weeks for six sessions. One month after completing the protocol, the severity of the blackheads had significantly decreased and a marked reduction in pore diameter was observed.

These results suggest that certain types of light-based technologies could offer an interesting option for reducing blackheads, although further studies are still needed to confirm this.

There are also several home-use tools designed to mechanically remove blackheads, with varying levels of efficacy and safety. The ultrasonic skin purifier, for example, employs high-frequency vibrations to dislodge impurities and excess sebum from the pore surface. When applied to damp skin, it can help improve the appearance of congested areas while remaining relatively gentle, although its action remains superficial and does not replace professional extraction when comedones are deeply embedded.

Other devices rely on a suction-based principle, such as blackhead vacuums. By creating a localized vacuum, they aim to extract the contents of clogged pores. However, their effectiveness is uneven, and overusing them can lead to redness, bruising, or simply weaken the skin. Manual metal extractors, often used by professionals, allow more targeted pressure around the comedo. Nevertheless, when misused, they can injure the skin and promote inflammation as well as persistent marks.

Finally, the blackhead patches are a simple and rapid solution for removing the most superficial blackheads, particularly on the nose. They work by binding to oxidized sebum in the pore opening, which is then extracted when the patch is removed. Although the visual effect is immediate, it remains temporary, because the underlying cause of the blockage is not addressed, and blackhead patches can irritate the skin.

Blackheads and sebaceous filaments are often confused. Indeed, the tiny dark spots observed on the nose—or even on the chin— aren’t necessarily blackheads, even though they may resemble them. Unlike a blackhead, a sebaceous filament is a a natural structure that helps sebum reach the skin’s surface. Present in everyone, these sebaceous filaments are nevertheless more visible on oily skin or on skin with relatively large pores.

Despite their sometimes perceived unsightly appearance, sebaceous filaments are not considered imperfections and do not need to be removed. Additionally, applying pressure to this area can compromise the pore, induce local inflammation, and promote bacterial proliferation, thereby increasing the risk of an inflammatory lesion. Furthermore, even when they are squeezed or extracted, the sebaceous filaments quickly reform, most often in less than 30 days.

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