Blackheads are probably the trickiest acne to treat because those little suckers are deep in the pores. Blackheads are caused by build up of oil, so blackheads tend to accumulate in the T Zone where the majority of people are oily. To prevent blackheads you want a good skin care routine and make sure you cleanse your face morning and night. I have a post on a good skin care routine here. There are a few little tricks to get remove and treat black heads!

• Exfoliation. Since blackheads are so deep into the skin, exfoliating is key to remove dead skin to reach where the blackhead is so you can treat it. Even if you have a great skin care routine, if you have built up dead skin and clogged pores your acne medication won’t be as effective. Exfoliation using a face scrub will remove dead skin and make it easier to clean your pores. My favorite face scrubs are Olay’s Microdermabrasion System which is a very intense face scrub and St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub which is a more gentle face scrub, I personally prefer a more intense face scrub but sensitive skin should go for a gentle one.

• Steam. Placing your face over steamy water or placing a hot towel over your skin opens up your pores. By opening up your pores any acne medication like a toner, cleanser or spot treatment will be more effective and have a deeper clean.

• Pore Strips. I’ve heard that pore strips are fairly harmful to your skin, so I wouldn’t recommend them as a weekly thing but pore strips are pretty effective! They won’t remove every black head but they will remove some. Biore makes great pore strips, however there are many sold at the drugstore!

• Clay Masks. Clay masks are great for controlling oil and cleaning deep into the pores.

A good little at home spa treatment you can do to treat black heads is to first exfoliate with a good face scrub, then steam your face to open up your pores, after your pores have been steamed and open use a face mask (my favorite is Queen Helen’s Mint Julep Face Mask) and then follow with your usual skin care routine. This will deep clean your pores and treat any black heads! Done continually should dramatically help black heads :)

Check out more makeup/skin care tips here!