Overview
The University of Maryland Medical Center defines acne as an inflammatory condition that affects the skin. Sebum, manufactured in your hair follicles, usually flows freely out onto your skin. Sometimes dead skin cells block the hair follicles, trapping the sebum in the follicle, which results in a whitehead or blackhead. Unlike whiteheads, which are closed, blackheads are open; hence, the black tip at the top of the follicle. Blackheads commonly occur on the chin, forehead and cheeks. When blackheads appear on the nose, they can be especially difficult—but not impossible—to remove.
Step 1
Wash your face with a mild cleanser designed for acne-prone skin. Pay special attention to the area around your nose. Starting the blackhead extraction with a clean slate will improve results.
Step 2
Apply a topical treatment to the blackheads that contains benzoyl peroxide. Read the instructions carefully before applying. Benzoyl peroxide helps slow oil production, a leading cause of blackheads. Benzoyl peroxide solutions also work to break down blackheads and expel them from your skin.
Step 3
Apply a facial scrub designed for blackheads to your nose and surrounding areas. Massage the gritty scrub over your skin to extract the blackheads, as directed. Allow the scrub to sit on your nose for the recommended amount of time before rinsing away the blackheads when you rinse away the mask.
Step 4
Press a pore strip against your nose. Most pore strips resemble masking tape and adhere to your skin much like tape. Press the pore strip over the blackheads, then peel it away. Dirt and sebum will come away with the pore strip.
Step 5
Apply a roll-on wax to your nose. Press a muslin strip against the wax. With a single, quick motion, pull the muslin strip off. The wax will come with it, and so will the blackheads.
