Entering adolescence usually means dealing with blackheads and acne. Everyone you talk to seems to have a different remedy for getting rid of these pesky bumps. Blackheads are essentially dirt and oil trapped in the pores of the skin, when the trapped oil is exposed to the air it turns black, hence the name blackhead.

water based vs. Oil-based skin products
The first step to clearing up these skin blemishes is to avoid oil-based makeup and skin care products. Adding more oil to your already oily skin will practically guarantee the appearance of blackheads. Choose water-based products to help keep your skin clean. There are products available, usually at high-end retail stores, that are considered ‘non-comedogenic’, meaning they are considered clog-free. With a little shopping and experimentation, you’ll find the right products for your skin.

Home remedies
Rub some honey on the affected areas, cover with a Band-Aid and leave on overnight. Take the help of the band the next morning and your blackheads will be gone. Honey breaks down pore-clogging bacteria, resulting in clearer skin. You don’t like to sleep with honey on your face? Try to cover your face with a damp cloth for twenty minutes every night. Doing so will loosen dirt, oil, and dead skin cells and help clean out clogged pores. For best results, boil the wipe first to ensure no additional bacteria are introduced to your skin.

Medicine
Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the two most common antibacterial treatments for blackheads. These medications, applied directly to the skin, allow the pores to open and bring oil and bacteria to the surface for easy removal. Some of these medications can cause further skin irritation, so it is important to monitor how your skin handles these medications.

Instruments
There is a relatively new tool on the market called a blackhead remover. This tool is simply a stainless steel rod with a small circle at the end. The circle is designed to fit around the blackhead and, when pressure is applied, pushes the pore-clogging material to the surface for easy removal.

Whichever option you choose, coupled with a little time and patience, will result in cleaner, clearer skin.