The water has to be hot enough so the Epsom salt can dissolve into the water.

The warm solution will be soothing to your face as it works on the blackheads.

The cotton ball will absorb a lot of the solution, so be careful not to drip any on your clothes. For acne on other parts of the body (back, chest, upper arms), it’s more useful to take an Epsom salt bath. [2] X Research source That way, you can soak bigger areas of your body at the same time.

Repeat this process regularly for the best results.

Don’t pinch of squeeze your blackheads. Squeezing or pinching can make your skin inflamed and infected. Your hands also have natural oil on them that could transfer to your skin and make your blackhead problem even worse. Instead, loosen the blackheads by putting a washcloth that has been drenched in hot water and wrung out, on the affected area. Once the washcloth has sat on your face for about 10 minutes, use a spot treatment to target the blackheads. [3] X Research source Don’t use any sharp tools on your skin. These small extraction tools trap bacteria and can bruise your face if used improperly. Don’t sleep with makeup on. Makeup contains ingredients that could significantly clog your pores as you sleep (talc, titanium dioxide, etc. ). Be sure to clean your face with a mild cleanser before bed to prevent further buildup of oil from your hair, oil you’re your hands, sebum, and chemicals from makeup. [4] X Research source Don’t go overboard with scrubbing. Harsh scrubs can irritate your skin and make your blackhead and acne problem appear worse, so avoid large grain exfoliator cleansers such as almond or walnut exfoliators. [5] X Research source Instead, use a gentler cleanser (such as rice or jojoba exfoliators) to remove dead skin off the surface of you face. [6] X Research source

Retinol is also known for its acne fighting abilities, but the trick is you need to find products that contain enough of the ingredient to actual help your blackhead situation. An amount that would prove to be useful would be about 0. 5 or 1. 0%. [9] X Research source Any product with less retinol than that, or a product where the percentage isn’t listed probably only has trace amounts of the ingredient, and won’t be enough to effectively treat your acne. There are a variety of medications with retinoids in them. You can get over-the-counter retinol or prescribed medication for pore reduction. You can use cleansers with salicylic acid. They help to clear out pores by removing debris. Salicylic acid is another gentle alternative, but not it is not as helpful at removing blackheads.

Wash and disinfect these items once a day to help stop bacteria from spreading from the different surfaces to your face.