Don’t try to remove the greasy spots with your hands – the best approach is washing with peroxide then applying a retinoic acid cream
Blackheads are one of the six main types of spots caused by acne. (Others include pus-filled spots called whiteheads, or closed comedones, and small red bumps called papules.) As dermatologists, we aren’t big fans of people trying to remove blackheads using their hands or shop-bought extractors because of the risk of scarring. Also, blackheads often form in groups: if you try to get rid of them with the extractor, you will be there all day.
We prefer a medical treatment. The best is a combination of washing the skin during or after a shower with a peroxide wash, then applying a retinoic acid cream to the blackheads, as retinoic acid is really good at drying out grease glands. Both of these can be bought over the counter or obtained with a prescription. You can also apply your washes with an exfoliator to remove debris from the pores, or you can use a microdermabrasion machine to exfoliate much deeper to get rid of small acne scars, too. If these don’t work, you need to visit a dermatologist or GP to be put on oral medication, which is much more intensive.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2I2mY5w
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