How to get rid of blackheads

[Lux]

I've had bad blackheads & giant pores on my nose since I started puberty. My skin looked exactly like this but with darker spots:

Here's what works to fix it.

1. Accutane
   • I did an 8-month cycle of Accutane which, at a certain point, completely got rid of blackheads & made my skin immaculate.
   • After the cycle they returned though not nearly as bad as before.
   • I'm confident that given another cycle of Accutane they would disappear completely.
2. Cold Water
   • The past two weeks I've been having cold showers & ice baths to accelerate weight loss.
   • I've also been scrubbing my face & body with Epsom Salts. I'm not sure if it has had any contribution to my improved skin, or if its simply worked as an exfoliant.
   • At first there were only short term results & once my skin went back to regular temperature so would pore size & blackheads.
   • Results have started lasting longer and longer. The blackheads have completely gone away for the last 3 days.
3. Laser Skin Surgery
   • Post Accutane cycle I was supposed to have laser skin surgery for acne scars. This whole quarantine thing fucked that up though.
   • My dermatologist assured me that laser skin treatments would also improve my nose pores/ blackheads if not get rid of them. I'm trusting what he told me & other people's words on this one.

What kinda works.

1. Acid Treatments:
   • Work short term but won't fix the root of the problem.
   • They will irritate the skin in the process of destroying the blackheads.
   • I once went outside for 6 hours doing my school's mandatory community service after using a sulfur mask the night before. My skin got a serious case of hyperpigmentation & sun damage. It didn't matter that I continuously applied 100 SPF sunscreen throughout the 6 hours. However, I was on Accutane as well which likely also contributed to the situation.
2. Extractor tools:
   • I've used them to get rid of especially bad blackheads with success. The inflammation & skin damage from the process can be helped with niacinamide & moisturizer.
   • By the end of the next day, the blackheads are were always back.

Here's what doesn't work.

1. Tretinoin/ Retin-A
   • Will shrink pores temporarily but the skin will go back to normal in under an hour.
   • Doesn't get rid of the dirt/blackheads.
2. Blackhead Masks/ Strips
   • In youtube video's I've only seen them remove whiteheads.
   • Exfoliating is 10 times better.
   • Aren't adhesive enough to remove blackheads with success.
   • Pretty much useless products.
3. Pore Suction/ Vacuum Devices
   • Don't have the strength to remove deep blackheads.
   • Irritates skin.
4. Light Therapy
   • I've tried purple light therapy but never got anything out of it.
   • Definitely no results with blackheads & pore size.
5. Benzol Peroxide
   • Will irritate & inflame the skin.
   • Skin will increase sebum & oil production after use to compensate for benzol peroxide drying the skin.
   • It doesn't affect blackheads at all. If anything, after use, the increased oil production & inflammation makes blackheads & pores worse.
   • Similar to Tretinoin but much worse.
6. Cleansing Masks
   • I'm thinking mainly of clay masks but I've tried other types as well.
   • The only benefit I've got out of these is defamation.

 

[Nosecel]

Accutane for the win I guess

 

[Slayerino]

The only benefit I've got out of these is defamation.

Lol what?

 

[bhad]

bro they're not blackheads they're sebaceous filaments. Tretinoin will help but it takes time.

 

[DutchPrettyBoy]

bha gel/salicilyc acid or tretinoin

 

[Deleted member 5927]

READ THIS MESSAGE: THOSE ARE NOT BLACKHEADS. THOSE ARE SEBACEOUS FILAMENTS, CAUSED BY EXCESSIVELY OILY SKIN DUE TO OVERPRODUCTION OF SEBUM, FROM HIGH TESTOSTERONE LEVELS DURING PUBERTY.

I HAVE PERMANENT SCARRING, AND EVEN FUCKED UP A VEIN IN MY NOSE FROM FUCKING WITH THEM AT AGE 14. ACCUTANE WORKS GREATLY (IT WORKED FOR ME, AND IT DID HELP WITH THOSE BLACK DOTS ON NOSE).

THOSE BLACK DOTS ARE BUILD UP OF OIL, AND WHEN IT HITS THE OXYGEN THE TIP OF IT TURNS BLACK SORT OF LIKE HOW A BANANA TURNS BROWN WHEN IT HITS OXYGEN.

ACCUTANE OR DEATH.

 

[JayDimsa]

I've been struggling with this shit for months now. Legitimately huge fucking looksmin. Unfortunately accutane seems to be prescription-only drug in my country. How do I obtain this shit without major hassle in Italy? Fun fact, I had it prescribed to me a long time ago when I was a kid and had mild acne.

Also I can confirm that scrubs, strips, and masks don't work.

 

[Lux]

I've been struggling with this shit for months now. Legitimately huge fucking looksmin. Unfortunately accutane seems to be prescription-only drug in my country. How do I obtain this shit without major hassle in Italy? Fun fact, I had it prescribed to me a long time ago when I was a kid and had mild acne.

Also I can confirm that scrubs, strips, and masks don't work.

Same in burgerland. You can get it either off shady websites or find a dermatologist who will prescribe it.

 

[JayDimsa]

Same in burgerland. You can get it either off shady websites or find a dermatologist who will prescribe it.

I have to schedule appointment with a dermatologist for some unrelated issue, but I've been postponing it for months because it's not that bad and I'm lazy as fuck. Maybe if I cry hard enough he will prescribe me accutane, also, the blackheads have become pretty bad because thanks to corona chan and forced mask wearing my nose doesn't get seen so much and I haven't been treating it at all, so maybe crying about it will work.
I will report back if I get it prescribed.

 

[Deleted member 2729]

So does Tretionin help or not? I don't want to use acutane because it can fuck you up

 

[Patrick Baitman]

Cold Wate

Doesn't cold showers increase your cortisol levels which results in hair loss?

 

[Lux]

So does Tretionin help or not? I don't want to use acutane because it can fuck you up

Didn't for me but helped skin in other ways. Also, basically every teenager is on accutane. The negative side effects are blown way out of proportion.

Doesn't cold showers increase your cortisol levels which results in hair loss?

Some people (not me) say that they increase testosterone & thereby hair retention & growth.
I think the mean idea is that extremely high stress is unhealthy and can lead to reduction in good hormones, which can lead to hair loss. It's probably not applicable the cortisol from cold water exposure.

 

[JohnDoe]

No mention of AHA/BHAs? I read that is the only stuff that shrinks your pores in a safe manner.