Blackheads – those little black dots that clog up your pores – can happen to anyone, and can sometimes stubbornly linger long after your acne has cleared up. Blackhead removal can be a tempting endeavour, but is removing them really the best thing to do? Removing blackheads may be more trouble than it’s worth.

Blackheads can be more resistant to cleansers and topical treatments than pimples, making them infinitely more frustrating, and so much more tempting to remove. Getting rid of blackheads can be a long and tedious affair, as unlike pimples, they can sometimes seem to inhabit every pore on your nose, chin and forehead, so before taking out that blackhead remover and getting started, consider whether going to the trouble of removing them is really worth it!

Blackheads, like cellulite, are one of those things that everyone has – yes, even celebrities! – but no one really wants to admit to. While there are undoubtedly some great cleansers out there that can reduce their numbers, a certain amount of them might always remain. But unlike spots, they are almost invisible to the naked eye, and they are not sore and uncomfortable as some of those pimply pustules can be.

Blackhead removal can actually damage the skin if done improperly. Squeezing the blackhead often causes the material that is clogging the pore further into the skin, where it can become a pimple. Over enthusiastic blackhead removal can also cause unsightly scarring. Maybe it really is better to leave them where they are.

If you must remove your blackheads, always use a proper blackhead remover, as this can help limit any potential damage. Using steam to open the pores before squeezing can also help, but never force a blackhead that doesn’t want to be removed. This will simply damage the skin, while the frustrating blackhead remains exactly where he is.

Blackhead removal can help the appearance of your skin if done correctly, but can damage your skin by causing scarring or pimples. Try to reduce your blackheads by sticking to a simple cleansing plan, and using a mask or scrub once or twice a week. But for the ones that remain? Consider whether it’s really worth whipping the blackhead remover out – or is blackhead removal worth the trouble?

These unsightly little marks on your face just seem to pop up during the time in your life when you least need them, when you’re a teenager. You are just growing up, your hormones are kicking in and you’re getting interested in the opposite sex, and this kicks in.

But don’t get too carried away trying to remove them. There are bigger problems in your life, though it might not seem so right now, and life will go on. Those unsightly little blemishes won’t be there forever, believe it or not.

Blackhead removal, worth it or not? Maybe not. But then again?