Pores/blackheads. Help!!

[RudolphLovesoftplay]

Can anyone recommend some good pore strips? My face is a mess but when I tried the cheapy strips yesterday nothing came out. I was hoping for rows of blackheads!!

Ooh yes marking my place

Me too

They don't work for me either.
In fact the only thing that does (and I have spent silly amounts of money on products for this over the years) is a hot flannel.
Cleanse as normal, then place hot flannel over your face and leave til it cools, rub in some cleanser, repeat flannel, wipe off cleanser.
There's an instant difference and if I let it slide -blackheads come back ridiculously quickly for me- then it only takes a couple of days of doing this to clear them.
For an even quicker clear out, cleanse, hot flannel, massage in some oil for a good ten minutes (you'll actually feel the little plugs coming out), hot flannel...done.

Mcballs, that is such a long method though. I want quick results with no effort

What oil do you use?

Don't we all!

I use olive oil or almond oil, usually with a few drops of castor oil mixed in. But olive oil on its own perfectly good.

At the risk of sounding like an evangelical preacher as I feel so strongly on the topic, do try Clarisonic. I had blackheads for 20 years ( don't I sound attractive) and it solved them in 4 weeks.

kind of lurking....i am nearly 40...getting wrinkles but the blackheads arent going! What clarisonic marylou (i think there are different ones?) and what do they cost?

I've tried it all - C&P, Oil cleaning and this is what works for me Neutrogena cleanser. I use it every night and just rinse my face in the shower in the morning. If I run out the blocked pores return very quickly. Would not be without it now and will never buy anything else. It won't give immediate results like a pores stip but for £4 ish worth a try!

Clarisonic is very good I agree but so expensive.

The Bravura 'Dermaflannel' has really sorted mine out. My complexion has never been as smooth or as glowy. Would love a clarisonic too but budget doesn't permit.

I found out on here the other day that what I always thought were blackheads are actually sebaceous filaments, and the oil cleansing method does work but you need to do it often.

dermaflannel and Emma Hardie Moringa cleansing balm, has sorted mine out

Are you talking about blackheads or sebaceous filaments?

Sebaceous filaments are completely normal, and they will come back within a few days, even if you use pore strips or squeeze them. You can however make them less visible by cleansing well. I use a Clarisonic and a good cleanser for my skin type.

IMO, it's important to find out if you have blackheads or sebaceous filaments. A lot of people confuse the two, and it's a pity, as sebaceous filaments are completely normal and if you treat them like blackheads with pore strips, squeezing, loads of harsh products and so on, you can cause far more irritation than what is necessary.

Philosophy MicroDelivery (might not be the right name) but it's a 2 Step very quick system.
The scrub for 30-60 seconds then the liquid rubbed in for 2 minutes.

Works well on my DS teen skin.

I use the daily wash too.

(47 yo and skin is 'normal' )
I tried the strips when they first came out and the magazines had them free inside. I found they pulled the tiny hairs out too (TMI there)

I don't know which of the two issues I actually have, but I use a Body Shop tea tree gel (can't remember the name and can't link from my phone!) but it kind of keeps them clean and tightens them. Stops my make up disappearing into them at least!

Vibbe-thanks for the link , all these years I thought I had blackheads when in fact they're normal sebaceous filaments !!!! What a revelation!!!

They do go away with proper cleansing tho.

sorry it was DonnyOsmondsTeeth that linked..thanks

I just have a basic Clarisonic mia, with one speed. I don't know if the fancy expensive multispeed ones are any better. It cost about £120 and I can't imagine being without it now. That and La Roche Posay Efaclar Cleanser have given me the skin I never thought I'd have,smooth and clear!

Hot flannel and squeeze gently with fingers wrapped in tissues.

Advice seems to be to ignore sebaceous filaments, and even to attempt to conceal with make-up. However, you can see them on people, especially when they get bigger (which they do if you leave 'em) and they're really not the most pleasant sight.

I would have sebaceous filaments if I didn't use pore strips, oil cleansing and dermabrasion. Yes they come back, and very quickly, but you need to keep up the routine, as the alternative is far worse.

I didn't know the name of these for ages but I've been plagued by them for years, I'd worked out they weren;t blackheads or spots but, yeah, they were massive and got worse and worse.

My skin is awfully dry and I think I used mosturisers that were too oily but not hydrating enough for a long, long time. But after I'd used old school nivea for a while they became vile.

IME thorough cleansing and regular 'plucking' keeps reduces their size quite a bit, with time. It's also important not to use too heavy a moisturiser, I reckon - the products I use now are much lighter but more hydrating, I'm sure that's really helped too.

Thanks everyone. I dunno which type I have, but I hate them!! They are so obvious on my face, particularly round my nose and the middle of my eyebrows.

Will try the scrub recommended. What moisturiser are people using?

I agree with those above regaring hot face-cloth and almond oil, but you do need to maintain this regularly to keep skin and pores clear....

Also got recommended to check cleansers and toners containing saclylic acid are great (this is an ingredient you can find in even cheap high street/superdrug type brands too).

I certainly noticed a positive difference when I double-checked products before I bought them, i sometimes dilute the toner as my skin is sensitive, but his definitely makes a great difference.

Moisturisers I have learnt are best changed according to the weather.... In cold months I use a thicker (but not oily) night cream which does a great job at balancing skin and I use a light day cream or tinted moisturiser (depending on how "made-up" I want to appear) pretty much the rest of the time.

Hope this helps!