Blackheads and open pores: how to actually treat them

They show up on the nose, along the sides and on the chin, and the longer you stare in the mirror, the worse they look. Blackheads are the number one complaint in men's skincare, and also the worst handled: almost everyone tries to fix them by squeezing, which is exactly what you shouldn't do.

What they actually are

A blackhead is an open comedone: a pore blocked by a mix of sebum and dead cells that darkens as it oxidises on contact with air. It isn't dirt. That's why washing your face harder or more often doesn't clear them, and in fact makes things worse: damage the skin barrier and the skin responds by producing more oil.

Men's skin is at a disadvantage here. It's thicker, has larger pores and produces considerably more sebum thanks to hormones. Add a daily shave and you're stacking irritation on top of that.

What works at home

Three things, and none of them are aggressive. A gentle cleanse twice a day with a gel made for oily skin, avoiding soaps that leave the face tight. A chemical exfoliant once or twice a week with salicylic acid, which is oil-soluble and gets inside the pore where a scrub never reaches. And a light, oil-free moisturiser: dehydrated skin compensates by making more sebum.

If you want to go a step further, a retinoid at night renews the skin and stops the pore clogging again. Start two nights a week and build up slowly.

What not to do

Don't squeeze. Manual extraction without technique ruptures the pore wall, drives the inflammation inwards and leaves a scar or a mark. Pore strips lift the visible surface plug but don't empty the pore, so it's back within four days.

When to book a professional treatment

A deep facial cleanse does what you can't do at home: softens with steam, extracts with sterile instruments and closes the process with a calming active. One every four to six weeks keeps the texture under control — and in Andorra la Vella, with dry cold and high-altitude sun alternating, that consistency matters even more.

Experience it at 357 Hair Gallery

At 357 Hair Gallery (Andorra la Vella) we don't cut hair: we sculpt presence. Book your appointment online in 60 seconds on our website, or message us on WhatsApp at +376 666 966. We look forward to seeing you.