I know, poping or extracting your blackheads is pretty tempting and satisfying.

The YouTube videos of extractions are very popular for a reason and there’s something about doing it on your own blackheads that makes it even more satisfying.

After you pop the blackhead you will probably develop a hole on your skin.

This article goes over why that happens. It also goes over how to manage your blackhead so you don’t have to extract or pop it in the first place.

Hole in your face from removing a blackhead?

What actually are blackheads?

Blackheads are one of the many types of acne. Acne includes blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, cysts and other skin blemishes that arise as a result of a blocked pore in the skin.

Blackheads form when dead skin cells and excess sebum on the skin combine and clog the pores.

The top of the clog gets exposed to oxygen and turns the surface of the clog dark brown or black. This is when it is them considered a blackhead.

Why do blackheads leave holes?

Blackheads leave holes because you removed the materials (sebum and dead skin cells) that were clogging up the pores.

When you do this the pore is suddenly relieved of the clog and when you remove the material it creates a hole.

Skin is flexible and will mould itself around clog, expanding and stretching where necessary. This very normal and will go away on its own so you don’t have to panic.

Can you get rid of blackhead holes

Yes, you can get rid of blackhead holes. Well, they get rid of themselves.

After you’ve extracted your blackhead it is important to clean the area afterwards to prevent infection of the pore.

Once you’ve cleaned the area you should leave the skin alone, the hole will close within a couple of hours.

Note: Do not pick at your blackhead or try to extract it if you are not working on clean skin.

If you pick at your blackheads the pore can become bigger. As you squeeze it you likely introduce more bacteria into the pore, this will develop into a bigger blemish.

What can happen if you pick at blackheads

Skin irritation: If you’re not an esthetician or a dermatologist you can’t tell how much you’re really irritating your skin.

Because you don’t know how deep your blackhead really is you may pick at it to an extent where you really irritate it and make it worse.

Skin damage: The skin is very fragile, more fragile than we really know. Extracting your blackheads incorrectly can result in bruising or even scaring of the skin.

It would be a better decision to simply use products that break up the material that causes blackheads on your skin.

Infection: If you try to pop a blackhead or extract it without cleaning the area you can cause an infection on your skin.

Bacteria from the surrounding area, your fingers or your tools can get into the pore and cause the blackhead to form a pimple.

What does a blackhead look like when it comes out?

A blackhead is a clog in your pore. That clog is made up of sebum and dead skin cells. These materials mix on your face and clog your pore causing a blackhead.

Your pores are long tubes in your skin. They reach deep into the membranes of the skin. The blackhead clog also reaches deep in the skin. The depth depends on how big the clog is.

When you extract the blackhead the material in the clog comes out like a tube from the top of the pore. The contents come out like a tube just like how toothpaste comes out of the tube.

The end that comes out first is black or a dark brown and the rest of the material is a yellow to clear substance. This is the dead skin cells and the sebum.

Do blackhead vacuums really work?

Yes, blackhead vacuums do work but they aren’t the best way to get rid of your blackheads.

For them to work as well as they can you need to prep your blackheads before you vacuum.

By prep I mean the blackhead needs to be loosened by salicylic acid, an exfoliator, glycolic acid or facial steam.

This will allow the contents in the pore to loosen up and this enables the material to be vacuumed out better.

It isn’t the best way to get rid of your blackheads because they can damage your skin as they vacuum.

The vacuum needs to be strong enough to actually vacuum the materials, this requires quite a powerful suction.

If you let the device suction your skin too much then this can lead to skin bruising and even inflation. The suction can so make your skin red and irritated.

If you do want to try a blackhead vacuum this one is a favorite.

What is the best blackhead remover?

The best blackhead remover is prevention if you’re doing it yourself or a professional extraction if you’re having it done. Many of the treatments that treat blackheads can be damaging to your skin.

In addition, it may not give you the best results if you do it yourself, it can even result in you damaging your skin.

A good preventative method is to use chemical exfoliators. This makes sure that your skin does not get clogged up with dead skin cells in the first place.

The chemical exfoliator will remove the dead skin cells and excess sebum preventing them from combining and clogging your pores.

Use chemical exfoliators over physical exfoliates. The chemical exfoliators are more gentle on your skin but still do the job of dissolving the materials in the clog.

Use salicylic acid because it breaks ups the materials that cause you to develop clogged pores. Topical retinoids are also helpful in unclogging the pores.

This well-loved exfoliant contains salicylic acid, and this retinol cream is well-loved.

Professionals like dermatologists offer extractions. They use professional tools to remove your blackheads.

The professionals know exactly how much pressure to use on your skin to prevent or minimise bruising.

They also know when to stop applying pressure because then know when the whole blackhead is out.

Do blackheads go away naturally?

Blackheads will go away on their own as long as you maintain at a good everyday skincare routine.

This entails cleansing your face and exfoliating your face regularly.  If you don’t take care of your skin the blackheads will take longer to go away.

Some blackheads can be very stubborn, some won’t leave your skin for months or even years.

If you want to speed up the process you can use AHAs, BHAs, products that contain sulphur and products that contain salicylic acid.

These ingredients break up the materials that form blackheads.

This toner contains both AHA’s and BHA’s

What happens if you don’t remove blackheads?

If you don’t remove your blackheads then one of two things will happen. It will either disappear on its own or it will develop into acne.

The blackhead will generally stay the same size for a long time before it leaves on its own.

If the blackhead is about to turn into acne then the skin around it will start to become red and inflamed as it turns into acne.

It turns into acne if bacteria enters the clogged pore and infects it making it bigger, redder, painful and angry.

How do you draw out a deep blackhead?

Cleansing: The first step, in the process of extracting blackheads, is to cleanse your face. You can choose to cleanse your face once or twice a day.

If you choose to cleanse once a day then you should cleanse in the evening. This allows you to get rid of all the excess sebum, dirt, debris and other external pollutants that may be on your skin from the day.

This cleanser is gentle on skin but cleans the face well.

Exfoliate your skin: Exfoliation will help to remove any dead skin cells that may still be on your skin.

Exfoliation also removes all the remaining sebum or any other debris or residue that may be left on your skin after you’ve washed your face. If you’re using a physical exfoliator make sure its a gentle one.

Alternatively, you can use a chemical exfoliator, they are naturally more gentle than physical exfoliators.

Steam your face: This makes your skin and the contents of the blackheads much softer and easier to work with.

The steam will go a long way in helping you to remove the material clogging your skin, this sets you up for a better extraction.

You can use a face steamer to so this or you can choose to put a towel over your head as your face hovers over a bowl of hot water.

This is a well loved facial steamer 

Clay mask: Use a mask that will absorb the top layer of oil and dirt from your face and also remove some of the blackhead material. This makes your extraction easier.

To do this you can use a mask that contains charcoal or clay. These ingredients will absorb the oil and dirt in your pores and on your face.

Removing this material from your pores before you use an extraction tool will set you up for a better extraction.

This is a well loved clay mask

Exact: You can use an extractor tool to extract your blackheads. These tools have loops at the ends which allow you to extract the contents of the blackhead.

This set of extraction tools will help get rid of a variety of blackheads and skin blemishes.

Make sure you sterilize the tool before use. Use rubbing alcohol to sterilize it.

Tip: Do not use your fingers to push the material out. Don’t pinch, don’t poke and don’t squeeze the blackhead, it’s for your own good.

If you do use your fingers you can wind up scarring your skin or causing some skin irritation.

What to do after removing a blackhead?

Once you’ve removed your blackhead you need to soothe the skin making sure it calms down. This will ensure that you don’t develop inflammation on your skin.

Make sure you have a cooling gel mask (like this one) or a cooling serum (like this one) on hand after you extract the blackhead.

For that best results make sure the mask or serum contains ingredients that are anti-inflammatory such as green tea, almond oil or vitamin E.

How can I tighten my pores?

Unfortunately, you cannot tighten your pores. There is no skincare product that will help you open or close your pores.

You can remove the contents of your pores to make them appear smaller but you cannot tighten them.

The pores release sebum onto your skin. This keeps the skin moisturised. Tightening them will actually cause your skin to become dry which you don’t want

Pores size is one of those skin issues that are determined by genetics. Just as some people have naturally clear skin and others don’t, it’s just the way things are.

You can choose to steam then extract your skin and pores. What steaming does is that it loosens the contents of the pores so you can extract the material in them.

This, in turn, makes your pores look smaller as they are no longer filled with sebum and dead skin cells. So if you want to improve the appearance of your pores have them steamed and extracted.

Can toothpaste get rid of blackheads?

No toothpaste won’t help get rid of blackheads. Toothpaste won’t really help get rid of any acne for that matter.

Toothpaste dries out the skin, this may seem like it would be good for acne but its actually not good for the skin. Drying out your blackheads does nothing for them.

In addition, it can cause irritation to the skin. The reduction of pain and swelling that toothpaste offers is fleeting and won’t help to get rid of your blackheads

Can you pop a blackhead with a needle?

No, you cannot pop a blockhead with a needle. You should be extracting blackheads not popping it. Trying to pop blackheads can result in you damaging your skin or infecting it.

The only skin blemish you should be popping with a needle is a large blemish that is close to the skin like a large pimple.

In this case, you would need to sterilise the needle, clean the skin you’re working on and then prick the top of the blemish with the needle. This opens it up without having to pop and tear your skin open. 

I hope you enjoyed this article looking at how to deal with a hole in your face from removing a blackhead. If you did please share it.