How to get rid of blackheads on your nose without damaging your skin
Squeezing with your fingers is the quickest way to end up with a red nose and bigger-looking pores. Here's what blackheads are, how to remove them gently and the routine that keeps them from coming back so quickly.
What blackheads are (and why they love your nose)
A blackhead is a pore clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Because it's open, that mix meets the air, oxidises and darkens: that's why it looks black, not because it's dirt.
They appear mostly on the nose, chin and forehead – the T-zone – because skin there produces more oil and pores are larger. Genetics, hormones, heat and heavy products all play a part.
What not to do
- Squeezing with your fingers or nails. You push some of the oil deeper, irritate your skin and can leave marks.
- Using pore strips too often. They pull off a layer of skin too and leave the area sensitive.
- Scrubbing with gritty exfoliants. Redness, yes; clear pores, not so much.
- Drying your skin out with alcohol. Your skin responds by producing even more oil.
How to remove them step by step
- Cleanse your face with your usual cleanser.
- Open your pores with a warm towel for 2-3 minutes or straight after a shower.
- Extract gently: with a suction pore cleaner on the lowest setting, gliding without stopping; or with an ultrasonic skin scrubber on damp skin, blade tilted.
- Close with cold water or a gentle, alcohol-free toner.
- Moisturise with a light cream that won't clog pores.
Suction, scrubber or brush: which should you choose?
| Method | Best for | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Suction pore cleaner | Visible blackheads on the nose and chin | 1-2 times a week |
| Ultrasonic skin scrubber | Deep cleansing and gentle exfoliation of the whole face | 1-2 times a week |
| Sonic facial brush | Daily cleansing so pores don't fill up again | Every day |
The routine to keep them from coming back so fast
- Every day: cleanse at night, ideally with a sonic facial brush that reaches the corners of your nose.
- Twice a week: a gentle chemical exfoliant (with salicylic acid, for example) or a clay mask on the T-zone.
- Once a week: extraction with suction or the scrubber.
- Always: remove your make-up before bed and choose "non-comedogenic" creams and sunscreen.
Bear in mind that pores don't "close" for good: blackheads come back because your skin keeps producing oil. Consistency is what makes the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Do suction pore cleaners work?
Yes, for surface blackheads on the nose and chin, especially when pores are open and on a low setting. They don't replace daily cleansing, but they complement it very well.
How often can I use a pore cleaner?
Once or twice a week. Using it daily can irritate your skin.
Why does my skin go red after suction?
Usually because the setting was too high or you stayed too long in one spot. Lower the level, keep gliding and apply cold water afterwards.
What's the difference between blackheads and sebaceous filaments?
Sebaceous filaments are small grey or light dots, evenly spread across the nose, and they're normal: they fill up again within a few days. Blackheads are darker and more noticeable.
Does an ultrasonic skin scrubber help with blackheads?
It helps lift oil and dead skin cells from the surface and leaves skin smoother. It's ideal as a weekly deep cleanse for the whole face.
If you have inflamed acne, rosacea or very sensitive skin, see a dermatologist first.
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