Blackheads: I want to get rid of them once and for all. Please help me!

[TheSpreadingChestnutTree]

I have had a LOT of blackheads on my nose, chin, and cheeks for as long as I can remember. I have tried the OCM, but I don't seem to be able to keep it up for some reason, I suppose I don't really believe it works. Has anyone succesfully mananged to get rid of blackheads using the OCM?
I have also recently been using neutrogena blackhead clearing scrub, which seems to make things a bit better for a couple of days, but then the blackheads seem to get darker
I have obviously tried squeezing, which gets rid of some, but a lot of them seem to be very stubborn, especially the chin ones, and I'm not sure it is a long term solution. Is there anything that will make them go away permanently, or is it all an impossible dream?
Tbh I'm pretty sick of them being my constant companion, and I'd like to make this the year I say goodbye to the little buggers. So any advice is much appreciated, thanks

Yes you can. This is what has worked for me. Get a cathiodermie facial once a month. They do a great extraction as part of it and it is great for your skin. Get some good products. I always thought my skin was oily (it was when I was younger) but not it is actually very dry and that makes the skin hold in everything it can so the blackheads become more stubborn. Ocm may work but I am finding using a good cleanser toner and moisturiser twice a day (yes twice!) is putting that moisture back into my skin. You need something to suit your complexion so you might have to spend a bit of money to get good products -liz Earle, Temple spa. The blackheads won't come out unless the skin is in good condition. I would advise against extracting yourself as you can do damage if you do it too hard. Do you smoke? That doesn't help.

It can be done but it will take a while. Has taken me about 4 months.

Oh I use night cream for the second moisturiser which is really good. I actually use the aldi lacura one which is really cheap!

Strong vitamin A cream applied topically is the only thing to get rid of areas where there is a blackhead in every pore

Great, thanks! So it can be done then. When you say cleanser, do you mean like a cream thing, or more like a facial wash? I did use a cream cleanser years ago, but I never thought it really did much good. I smoke on and off unfortunately. Off at the moment. I did stop for years though, but the blackheads were always with me. Is cathiodermie the electric one? Sounds scary.

lubeybooby, can you get that from chemists, or is it prescription?

The only thing I've tried, and I've tried a lot of things, that works, is glycolic acid. I'm using Alpha h products at the moment, in particular Alpha H liquid gold, and it actually works.

Does any of this work on teenage skin? I have a DS whose teen spots consist largely of blackheads. I have to daily fight the desire to pin him down and squeeze them.
Is it worth trying the OCM for him? At the moment he uses that teen staple, Clearasil (the scrub, says it is for blackheads and spots). His skin does appear oily as I assume is the norm at that age?

Op, I'm not sure - I've been tempted to look for it myself a few times, a friend with the same problem had some and it worked beautifully but I never asked where from. I think it's probably prescription, must remember to ask the pharmacist next time I'm out

I was told I have rosascea on my face and was given metronidazole gel to clear it up,the plus on it was that it also cleard up nearly all the spots I keep getting and has worked wonders on the blackheads too

Thanks everyone, quite a few suggestions there! I'll get to work on the little bastards

Can I ask what OCM means. Sorry, just getting a bit desperate too

oil cleansing

Thanks for the link , another avenue to try, here's hoping this will be the one

Good luck. As I said I have tried it, but never very consistently, or for very long. Hope it works for you!

Yes the cathiodermie is the electric one. It is not scary at all :)

The skin care stuff is all well and good but the blackheads won't just disappear. You need to have the extracted then care for your skin to stop them coming back. But to be honest it may take a while to get your skin in good enough condition that they all come out and they don't come back.

So yes get a good cleanser (cream one), toner and moisturiser and use twice a day, get a good facial once a month (they will be able to advise which type your skin is - and no you don't have to buy what they are selling!) and make sure it is one where they do extractions. If you stick to this (and try not to smoke) it should clear up in 6 months.

Sounds like a plan, AngryFeet