Can You Use An Extractor At Home?

There's nothing more satisfying than having a facial and getting your blackheads extracted (I mean, who wants those popping up on your face to tempt you to pick at?), but paying to have it done professionally on the regs definitely adds up. If that isn't in your budget, or if you're just wanting a more frequent removal and are wondering if you can use an extractor at home, you might be a tad bit disappointed.

In case you didn't know, acne extraction is amaze because it's far less harmful than picking a pimple. Picking, as you have probably found out, causes scars or scabs by ripping off the top layer of skin, whereas extracting pulls out the fluids or solids inside a pimple. It's far more sterile, sanitary, and cleans the pore of extra debris.

So that all sounds great, and you're totally ready to swear off picking and grab an extractor, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, blackhead extraction is a "don't try this at home" kind of procedure. According to Bioelements, extraction should only be performed by a licensed esthetician. If you don't know what you're doing, an extractor can dent your skin, push dirt/debris further into your pores, and possibly cause infections or more breakouts. Plus, there's always the chance you could scar, so it's best to save up and leave your extractions to the pros.

But don't despair, because you can try some of these safer ways to remove blackheads at home.

1. Exfoliate

Microdermabrasion Face Scrub; $19.99; amazon.com

Use an exfoliator to help get rid of dead skin cells and minimize pores.

2. Mask

Dead Sea Mud Facial Mask; $13.99; amazon.com

A clay mask is best for blackheads since it's draws out impurities and toxins.

3. Pore Strips

Biore; $12.99; amazon.com

Take a cue from the '90s and put on a pore strip. Trust.

4. Use An Egg

This video walks you through how to remove your blackheads with an egg, which you probably already have so it costs zero money!

5. Baking Soda Exfoliation

Arm & Hammer; $6.65; amazon.com

If you don't want to go out and buy an exfoliating product, baking soda is a commonly used ingredient in microdermabrasion, so just mix up some with water and gently scrub your face.

6. Use Salicylic Acid Products

Clean & Clear Spot Treatment; $5.96; amazon.com

You can help breakdown oil in clogged pores by using products with salicylic acid.

7. Facial Steaming

Steaming your face can help get rid of blackheads by opening your pores.

Want more beauty tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Images: Fotolia; Amazon