Blackheads

What Are Blackheads?

Sebum and dead skin cells accumulate inside hair follicles, forming a plug. If the pore opening remains closed, it becomes a whitehead or closed comedone; if the pore remains open, the exposed plug oxidizes in the air and turns dark—becoming a blackhead. This is why washing your face more thoroughly will not eliminate blackheads; the root cause is the plug deep inside, not surface dirt.

Why Do They Commonly Appear on the Nose?

The nose and T-zone have the highest density of sebaceous glands on the face and larger pores, causing plugs to form faster and become more visible. Oily skin, hormones, and overly rich skincare products make the condition more pronounced. Sebaceous filaments—the light gray dots distributed evenly across the nose—are a normal skin structure, not acne, and do not need to be "cured."

Can You Squeeze Blackheads?

Proper medical extraction (softening the follicle, using sterile tools, applying pressure in the correct direction) is a safe and integral part of treatment. In contrast, squeezing with fingers, using fingernails, or using pore strips does the opposite: tearing the pore opening, enlarging the pores, and pushing bacteria deeper, which leads to inflammation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The "clean" result after using pore strips lasts only a few days before new plugs form in pores that are now dilated even wider.

How to Manage Them and Prevent Recurrence

Use oil-soluble active ingredients inside the pores (BHA) 2–3 times a week; apply prescribed nighttime retinoids to regulate dead skin cells that clog follicles; control oil production and wear sunscreen to prevent further pore dilation; and schedule medical-grade extractions every 4–6 weeks as needed. A series of mild chemical peels can also help target densely congested T-zones.

How BonBoz Can Help

Our dermatologists conduct a thorough skin analysis to distinguish blackheads from sebaceous filaments and closed comedones, assess your skin's oil levels, perform professional medical extractions at the clinic, and prescribe a personalized home-care regimen to minimize recurrence. We are fully transparent about expectations: blackheads can be visibly reduced and appear much less frequently, but oily skin will naturally continue to produce new plugs if maintenance care is discontinued.