How to Extract Clogged Pores

Young woman washing her face at a sink. Photo Credit Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images

The skin on your face consists of thousands of tiny pores that feature a hair follicle and a gland that produces sebum--an oily substance that works to keep your skin soft and moisturized. However, hormones can stimulate the gland to produce excess sebum, resulting in clogged pores. Dead skin cells and bacteria also can clog the pores. This can cause pimples, blackheads or whiteheads to form. Because these blemishes can take time to clear on their own, you may wish to extract the materials from the blemish. Special care must be taken when extracting because acne scarring can result when the skin's layers are damaged.

Step 1

Wash your face with warm water and a gentle cleanser. Wash your hands as well. This allows you to begin with a clean surface so oils, makeup or dead skin cells cannot enter the pores once they are unclogged.

Step 2

Wet two washcloths and place them in your microwave to warm them. This may take anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, depending upon your desired heat level.

Step 3

Take the damp washcloths and place on your face for three minutes. This will help to open the pores, making the materials that clog the pores easier to remove. If you prefer to steam the face, you can heat a bowl of hot water and place a towel over your head in order to open the pores.

Step 4

Take cotton squares or cotton balls and dip them in a mixture of one teaspoon of baking soda and distilled water. Place these cotton squares on any areas where the pores are clogged and leave on for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Dip toilet paper or cotton squares in a mild astringent, then wrap around your fingers. This helps prevent oils on your fingers from entering your pores.

Step 6

Place your fingers on either side of the pore and press down gently on either side. If the pore does not automatically come out, try two additional positions for extraction.

Step 7

Dab a mud mask or facial mask to the affected area after extracting. This will help to dry out the pore and help to remove bacteria, according to DERMA Doctor.

Warnings

• If the clogged portions of the pore do not easily come out after a few tries at pressing on the pore, cease your extraction efforts in order to prevent scarring.

Tips

• In order to facilitate the extraction process, you can purchase an extraction tool at a local drugstore or discount super store. The tool comes with a lancet on one side that helps to open the pore and a round-edged end that has a hole where the sebum can come through.
• Incorporating an exfoliating facial scrub into your daily routine can help to reduce the particles that can clog pores, thus preventing blemishes from forming.

Things You'll Need

• Gentle cleanser
• Two washcloths
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• Distilled water
• Cotton balls or squares
• Mild astringent
• Mud or other facial mask

www.livestrong.com