Expert Advice | Can you can scrub off blackheads?

Blackheads have nothing to do with dirt or how often you wash or scrub your face. They are caused when a pore becomes blocked by sebum and dead skin cells.

There are several reasons why a pore may become clogged. One is because too much sebum (oil) is produced in the pore for hormonal reasons. Dead skin cells accumulate, blocking the passage of sebum.

A second reason is that the pore does not function properly or is deformed, blocking the passage of sebum and clogging the pore. When the build-up arrives at the surface, the mix of sebum and dead skin cells oxidises and turns black.

You can use a scrub to remove the top part of the blackhead but that does not take care of the underlying cause. The blackhead will soon resurface. Instead, try a well-formulated product with BHA (salicylic acid). Salicylic acid is an amazing ingredient for getting rid of blackheads. We would recommend Environ Sebulac range of products.

Should you like a bit of manual exfoliation, we recommend using a soft facecloth with a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, we recommend the Algologie Exfoliator formulated to provide extra cleansing without abrading skin.