There are a number of ways to get rid of blackheads that one can follow. The honest truth is that for what works for me might not work for you. Now you’ve probably come to this website looking for the best way to get rid of blackheads. You’ve probably, like I have, headed to the local drugstore and picked up a few so called “acne treatment” creams to try and cure yourself of blackheads and pimples. I’m willing to bet, like me, you found the treatments ineffective.

The truth is that it can be a bit of a crap shoot when it comes to treating acne and blackheads. Each person’s skin responds differently, so there is no one treatment that is guaranteed to work. In my experience, the most effective treatments that drastically reduce blackheads tend not to be the over-the-counter products, but a dedicated acne regimen (acne facial wash, acne treatment cream with Benzyl Peroxide, and some non-comedogenic moisturizer) that you apply once or twice a day. Just tossing on a few products once in a while WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE.

If you are impatient and want to go straight to my number one recommendation to get rid of blackheads and acne, here it is: ClearPores

The real blackhead treatment is not found in some miracle cream or pill, but in a lifestyle change. Now I know that’s not what most of you people want to hear. Everyone wants a magic cure that takes no effort, works amazingly quickly, and promises fantastic results. If you want one of these cures, then you might as well just stick to watching infomercials – you’ll find such promises there. In this (large) article, I review the top 5 blackhead treatments that I’ve personally found to be effective.

If you want to skip ahead of the next section to the actual Best Blackhead Treatment recommendations list, click on this link to see the recommendation list

Ok, two ways you can get rid of blackheads (and acne). The free way and the pay way. The free way is through a concoction of natural blackhead remedies and diet changes that may (or may not) provide a cure. The pay way is by using tried and tested (real) acne medications that are often pretty effective. The best blackhead treatments, I’ve found, are really a combination of both “free” and “pay.” Now I’ve noticed there are a number of so called blackhead cures out there that promise to help get rid of blackheads, pimples, and skin care problems. The disturbing thing is that most of these so called cures actually make the problem worse. I like to call these blackhead scams. I’m always a firm believer in providing people with the best, most up-to-date, most real information around. And that’s what I’m aiming to do here.

I’m going to start with giving the Top 5 best blackhead medications that actually work. And I’m going to give you some good free remedies to and lifestyle advice that WILL absolutely help reduce your blackhead problems. I make no claims of a 100% cure for anyone, but I do know through personal experience and through other people I have helped, these medications (and lifestyle remedies) CAN make a bit difference and sometimes a dramatic difference.

Why Do You Get Blackheads

Blackheads are also known as open comedones. They are basically follicles that have a slightly bigger than normal opening and filled with plugs containing sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria. The sebum plugs (as they are sometimes known) are discolored a darker color because of the oxidation of melanin that occurs on the surface. This gives the blackhead that “blackish” look.

According to the Acne Resource Center, some causes of blackheads and acne are:

• Genetics
• Hormones — (puberty, pregnancy, etc)
• (some) medications
• Stress Level
• Humidity
• Physical Irritation
• Cosmetics
• Diet (maybe)

Humidity can really be a big contributing factor to the development of blackheads. When it’s humid, increased sweat production may cause constant mixing of sweat and oils in the skin, causing increased blockages in the pores.

Medication can disrupt the body’s natural chemistry which may cause more sebum production and lead to blockages in the skin’s pores.

Cosmetics can be another factor, especially oil-based cosmetics which may clog the pores.

The best way to cure blackheads is through consistency of treatments. There is NO SUCH THING AS AN INSTANT BLACKHEAD CURE. If there is any product or website out there that claims this, run far and fast because it’s a scam.

How Can I Get Rid of Blackheads for Good

Blackheads can be a serious struggle for many people even into their late thirties (and sometimes longer!).

Blackheads are really just another “form” of acne and can be treated with the same medicine

Blackheads are not caused by dirty skin so scrubbing your skin too much won’t cure the problem but might even cause more problems. Dermatologists say that diet won’t directly affect blackhead production, but, I disagree on this point as I’ve notice that eating greasy foods has caused acne breakouts on my own skin.

You can combat blackheads through diet, a facial hygiene regimen, natural blackhead home remedies, oral antibiotics and medications, and medicated acne treatments. In all likely hood, you will probably need a combination of all these to see the best results. We certainly cannot give you a full blown guaranteed means of getting rid of blackheads, you’ll have to try one of the treatments and see if it works for you. It’s often the process of trial and error that you stumble upon a blackhead cure that works for YOU.

One of the more effective ways to treat blackheads is to control the production of skin oil. Reduce the oil, reduce the production of blackheads and acne breakouts. Probably the most effective way I’ve accomplished this is through a basic topical blackhead regimen. It’s best to avoid major treatments such as accutane as this can be pretty devastating on your general health.

By far, the best treatments for blackheads basically consists of a once-a-day cleaning regiment of mild soap, a facial scrub to help remove excess skin oil and dead skin, and some sort of medicated topical treatment followed by a non comeogenic moisturizer. This is a formula that works and works well. So no matter what treatment your follow, it’s best to start out with this basic “acne treatment regimen.” I give a list of the best blackhead/acne treatment systems that follow this formula.

Below, I give my own Top 5 Blackhead Treatments to those who are struggling with the same problems I have (blackheads and acne). These recommendations are my personal ones — I make no claims to be a professional dermatologist, just a guy with a serious case of bad skin. I’ve tried DOZENS of so called blackhead cures and treatments over the years and I’ve spend a mini fortune on the latest skin care fads. Most of the stuff has been complete rubbish. But there have been a handful of products that did work, and a couple that actually, amazingly eliminated MOST of my blackheads and pretty much all of my acne. Non of these products are “unknown” — they have a large following and plenty of consumer reviews, so rest assured you stand a good chance of curing your blackhead problem with one (or more) of these treatments.

Top 5 Blackhead Treatments — My Recommendations

ClearPores

ClearPores is by far one of the best acne/blackhead treatment systems out on the market. It’s hands down better than Proactiv or any of the other kits. I’ve been using this system for over a year and reduced blackheads dramatically. I also rarely get pimples anymore, though I get an occasional one. Before I started using ClearPores, I was using the Acne.org Regimen which I found pretty effective. However, I found “The Regimen” started to lose it’s effectiveness after about 6 months. I’ve also heard many other people say the same thing. The one treatment system that’s flat out worked with no recurrence of acne or major blackhead breakouts has been the ClearPores system.

Cost

• 1 Month ($64.95 per month)
• 2 Months ($59.98 per month)
• 3 Months ($56.65 per month)
• 4 Months ($54.99 per month)
• 5 Months ($53.99 per month)

If you buy in “bulk” you save a lot of money. If you can’t afford to buy say 5 months for the cheapest package, I suggest you buy 3 months supply to get the 56.65 per month deal. It will take you at least 2 months anyways to see good results. If you are only going to buy 1 months supply, don’t bother — you likely won’t see results in only a month. ClearPores offers a 90 day return policy, so you can try out the product for 3 months risk free anyways.
Pros:

• It’s a complete acne fighting system that doubles as a blackhead killer. This makes it convenient to use since everything you need is there.
• Contains dietary supplement ingredients that are 100% natural. I know that some dermatologists maintain that acne/blackheads are not connected to your diet, but I have to disagree strongly with this. I’ve found that cutting out junk food, sugar, and caffeine made a dramatic difference in my complexion.
• Few side effects – I’ve used a few so called acne kits that do more damage than they do good. The worst offender was Pronexin which dried my skin out so bad it looked like I had 1st degree burns (which I in fact, DID). I never had any serious dry out of my skin when using ClearPores.
  Bulk discounts – the truth is that any sort of acne kit system gets expensive over the long run. You need to keep using them each day to maintain the results. Over the course of a year you can spend hundreds of dollars. I like how ClearPores provides discount bulk packages.
• Lots of REAL reviews praising the product – I’ve become very wary of sites hawking so called blackhead cures and treatments. Most have the same CHEESY salespage and CHEESY fake reviews at the bottom. Don’t even consider buying from website that looks like this. ClearPores actually has really good reviews from people (you can find it rated very highly on the reputable acne.org, for example).
• Full 90 day money back guarantee – what can I say, this makes the product risk free pretty much.

Cons:

• It can take a LONG time to see results. If you are the impatient type, you think twice before going with this acne treatment kit. You might also see your breakouts get worse for a week or two before they start improving.
• Expensive – the barebones system costs $53.00. If you want the “complete” system, you are going to pay $83.99. The complete system comes with the herbal supplement and body system.

Why I Like ClearPores
I’ve tried a lot of different acne/blackhead medications and ClearPores simply worked the best for me. I really like how the treatment system doesn’t dry out your skin like Proactiv. It’s a bit expensive and it takes a few months for the results to kick in, BUT it actually does work, unlike most of the other treatment systems out there. They offer a pretty good 3 month return policy and ClearPores has a good reputation onine with plenty of good user reviews. So if you want to get rid of blackheads, ClearPores is the best full treatment system I’ve yet found.

The Regimen

 

This treatment system is offered by Acne.org (probably one of the better acne-based community sites on the web right now). The Regimen is a good system that’s a no frills, no bs system. It’s a bit barebones, considering that it only consists of a mild cleanser, Benzoyl peroxide, and non-skin-irritating moisturizer. Nothing really fancy here and nothing you can’t put together yourself, but the kit itself works pretty good. Pretty much everyone loves the included Benzoyl peroxide (aka acne treatment medication) as you get quite a lot of it for your money and it’s a nice gentle formulation too. I used this treatment system for 6 months before switching to the ClearPores system. Why the switch? I found The Regimen’s Benzyol Peroxide treatment really started to irritate my skin after 5 months and by month 6, my acne had gotten worse, which was pretty depressing. A good number of people swear by this product and there are plenty of rave reviews online.


Cost
1 Month Supply: $44.00

The 8oz Acne Treatment bottle will last for roughly 1 month. If you have back acne, you will need 2 8oz Acne Treatment’s per month (you can just get the 16oz if you wish). I strongly suggest you buy at least 2 months supply of the Acne Treatment as it will take 2 months before you start to see real results in the clearing of your blackheads.

Pros:

• It works for many people
• You get a good amount of Acne Treatment topical medication (Benzoly peroxide)
• Benzoyl Peroxide Formulation is gentle
• Fairly priced (a good deal)

Cons:

• You can have a serious reaction to the treatment
• Moisturizer not good enough

Why You Should Buy The Regimen
I’ve used The Regimen and I can say it’s pretty damn effective. Some people swear by it and some people say it does nothing. I found it helped reduce the number of blackheads I had, but after 4 months, my skin really got irritated. You don’t necessarily need to “buy” the whole kit of you are on a budget. For budget minded persons who want to create their own, effective regimen, simply pick up the 16 oz (larger) Regimen Benzyle peroxide on Amazon, then pick up some dirt cheap, facial scrub and moisturizer and you’ve created your own, cheaper system.

If you’ve had some problems with Proactiv treatments, your skin might not respond to the Regiment though. However, hands down, it’s well worth trying and what I consider the second best option.

If you follow “The Regimen” you might want to add following:

• AHA formula (kind of a better “acne” moisturizer over the default kit)
• Jojoba Oil (add it to your moisturizer to help balance out the oils — great if your skin dries out from the Benzoyl Peroxide)

Budget “Make Your Own” Regimen

The “guts” of The Regimen is basically the Benzoyl peroxide mixture. If you don’t like the included moisturizer or you want to put together your own costs effective regiment while still using the acne.org BP, you can use the following combination below. You basically “upgrade” the acne.org BP with a larger bottle (lasts longer!), then replaced the facial wash and moisturizer’s with cheaper versions. The total cost for this is about $46 dollars, but you get “more” acne treatment formula over the standard package. Worth considering.








16oz Acne Treatment ($36) + Deep Clean Facial Wash ($5) + Neutrogena Moisture (non Comeogenic) ($5)

Proactiv

 

Proactiv is responsible for entertaining millions with their infomercial advertisements. Proactiv is by far the most popular acne/blackhead clearing treatment systems in the world. Is it necessary the most effective? No. There are a lot of mixed reviews out there, but just because it didn’t work for Jack doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. There are a lot of people who swear by the product and use it religiously. And there are just as many people who say it didn’t work for them. Proactiv didn’t seem to do too much for me, but my sister uses it every day and it’s done wonder’s for her skin, pretty much eliminating her acne completely. I’m not able to convince her to try anything else!
Cost
2 Month Supply Kit: $48.00 on Amazon
3 Month Supply Kit $78.95 on Amazon

I highly suggest you go with the 3 month kit on Amazon over the 2 month kit. To give Proactiv a shot, you need to use it religiously for 2 to 3 months. I believe many people say Proactive is not effective after only trying it out for 1-2 months — this is too early to tell with pretty much any acne treatment regimen.

Pros

• Works for SOME people
• Comprehensive treatment system (depending on how much you are willing to pay)
• No bad smell
• Can make skin softer
• Gets rid of blackheads

Cons

• Can be HARSH on the skin
• Dries out skin
• Possible Burning sensation on skin after use
• Not so good for fairer skin
• Pricey

Why I Recommend Proactiv

Because it works on celebrities! Just kidding.

I’ll be honest, I’ve used it and didn’t much like it after the 3 months I used. BUT BUT BUT, I have friends (and family) who swear by the Proactiv and it’s worked wonders on their skin. Proactiv is pretty pricey which is the biggest mark against it in my opinion. It can also dry your skin out like no tomorrow, especially during the first two weeks of usage.

My face had serious burns after a week of usage, but after the second week my skin adapted. I know this product has a lot of both positive and negative feedback so it’s hard to make a decision.

If ClearPores and The Regimen don’t work, then it’s worth giving Proactiv a shot. But certainly there is no reason to “start” your search for a blackhead or acne cure with Proactiv – there are better and cheaper choices out there (the first 2 recommendations). If the other treatments have not proven effective, then I would definitely say give Proactive a 3 month trial — you may find it works great.

If you do want to buy Proactiv, I suggest picking it up on Amazon.com rather than ordering it through the Proactiv website. There are a lot of complaints about Proactiv’s mail order services and bungled shipments. The price will be around the same anyways. And again, make sure you give the system a full 3 month trial for best results. It’s VERY important that you follow the instructions to the letter, if you don’t, you won’t get the results.

#4: Carley’s Clear & Smooth Skin Treatment

 

This is a less well known treatment system for acne. It’s a smaller company (by no means one of those corporations that spend millions on marketing) so you’ve probably never heard of them. They deliver some of the best blackhead and acne treatment programs on the market though. It’s also a steal in terms of price with the acne treatment going for around 20 bucks a bottle. You can squeeze out between 2-4 months from that too!

The company offers a number of different skin care products and all of them are wonderful. For people with a bad case of blackheads, I highly suggest their flagship Clear and Smooth Acne Treatment. For more serious acne, you can try the Industrial strength Clear and Smooth Acne Treatment formula. Also recommend is their line of moisturizers and natural soaps.

Unlike some of the other “kits” Carley’s doesn’t sell you on a specific package. I’ve found this “combination” works very well for eliminating blackheads, however.

My recommended Carley’s “Blackhead Killer” combination:

1. Clear and Smooth Acne Treatment
2. Day Time Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin
3. Exotic Butter Moisturizer 4 oz
4. Natural Soap – 5 Bars

I’ve used this quite effectively myself and I do recommend this combination as a pretty effective means for getting rid of blackheads.

Costs:
2-4 months supply: $20

Note, this is ONLY the acne treatment formula itself. For a more complete kit, you might want to consider getting the moisturizer and their moisturizer too (15 dollars)

Pros

• High Value – You can get a 16oz bottle (lasts 4 months) for only 18 bucks
• Affordable – Costs around 20 bucks
• Feels Great on Skin
• Actually Works

Cons

• Some people complain product makes acne worse
• Might need to add Benzoly peroxide to the mix for more effectiveness
• Requires a new facecloth each day (annoying)

Why I Recommend Clear & Smooth
Well, it’s nice to see a REASONABLY priced product in the acne skin care market. You get so used to paying 40-60 bucks a month for XYX product that it’s a breath of fresh air to find a product that costs around 20-30 bucks and lasts 3-4 months. If you are on a super budget, you can’t do better than this product. I’ve found Carley’s Clear & Smooth Skin Treatment feels great on the skin and it really helps to prevent acne and blackhead breakouts. This is not some unknown product either. There are a number of very good consumer reviews about this product AND quite a few people report the product has really changed their lives by completely getting rid of their acne problem. Keep in mind that you want to only read reputable how to get rid of blackheads information — there is a lot of fake stuff on the web that can trick you into buying stuff that doesn’t work.

If you have really bad acne breakouts, however, you might find this product is not “strong” enough to get the job done. If this is the case, I say go with the #1 choice or maybe look at Clear & Clean’s industrial strength formulation.

Without a doubt, this treatment is the most COST EFFECTIVE treatment of the bunch — so if you are just too flat out broke to afford the more comprehensive treatments listed above, this is your solution.

 

#5: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

 

This product is a fantastic one-fix solution to blackheads. It’s also pretty effective as a spot treatment for pimples too. I use this product a couple times a week. It can be combined with any of the treatments above. Think of it as a facial masque on steroids.

Pros

• Reduces Acne & Blackheads
• Great as a spot treatment
• Relaxing
• Reduces pore size
• Extremely Affordable

Cons

• Can Make skin dry if you don’t moisturize
• Can “sting” sensitive skin
• Hard to wash off in sink
• Might dry out skin

Why I Recommend It

There is really no reason you shouldn’t buy this. Considering it’s 5 bucks, it’s pretty much a steal. THIS IS my spot treatment of choice. Now if you are looking for a full blown treatment for acne and blackheads, this masque is not what you are looking for. It’s not really a full blown “treatment.” Look at the top 3 blackhead treatments for a full blown “solution.” But for casual pimple spot treatments, reduction of blackheads present on face, and minimizing of red marks, this product works wonders. Really, there is no reason why you shouldn’t buy it.

Blackhead Removal Tools

It’s one thing to “treat” your skin so you don’t develop blackheads. But what do you do if you have a ton of blackheads on your face and you want to get rid of them NOW. Here are a few important blackhead removal tools that are a must.

Clean & Clear Blackhead Eraser Kit
This product helps to “clean” your blackheads out. It basically features a special bad that helps “erode” the blackheads through vibrating action. The pads are medicated with salicylic acid which helps clean out the pores. I’ve found this pretty effective means of keeping blackheads out. A good compliment to some of the other treatments.

Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips 6 ea
If you want to remove blackheads, this is one of the best ways. Take the patch out, wet your face nice and good, then apply the patch, rubbing it with a downward motion of the fingers. Wait 15 minutes for the patch to dry out, then rip it off. A good portion of the blackheads on your nose (or elsewhere) will be on that patch.
It’s pretty important HOW you put the Biore patch on when it comes to removing blackheads. If you do a crappy job of applying the patch, you won’t see very many blackheads removed. I’ve had anywhere from hundreds of blackheads removed by a patch to just a handful. I recommend you use a couple patches a week to keep your face blackhead free. This patch doesn’t FIX the problems that are causing blackheads, but it can control the blackheads themselves.

Comedone Extractor

Forget squeezing blackheads out by hand – it’s too easy to scar your face or cause an infection. One of the best ways to remove a blackhead is to use a comedone extractor. These are basically special tools that allow you to extract the blackhead. Great for those annoying blackheads.

A Word of Acne Treatment Scams Online

There are a bunch of bullshit acne treatment products on the market. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT fall prey to these scammers. I’ve seen a NUMBER of small websites promoting these 3 scam products online. The same promotional method is the same: small salesy page ranking a couple products with a bunch of FAKE comments worshiping the products. I’m willing to bet that all three products are probably owned and promoted by the same scammers.

1. Fake Blackhead Acne Product: Pronexin
2. Fake Blackhead Acne Product: Acneticin
3. Fake Blackhead Acne Product: Acnevva

These products will do more harm then good. There are a number of reviews out there where the unfortunate users get terrible side affects by using one of these 3 products. If you read the sales pitch, these products try and sell you on the fact they they offer your body natural supplements that will cure acne and blackheads by addressing the root causes. This is baloney — there is no scientific evidence whatsoever that taking a punch of herbal pills will get rid of acne or reduce blackheads. So stay away from these and only follow treatments that have a good reputation (and a lot of people who do the treatments).

Best of luck with you blackhead problem! If you want more information about getting rid of blackheads and/or acne, I suggest you look at the Acne No More ebook. It’s got a lot of great, non BS information and is a great resource for learning how to tackle your skin problems. If you have any more tips or blackhead treatments, post them in the comment sections.