How To: Get rid of and prevent blackheads

Don't squeeze that blackhead! There's a gentler way to get rid of it, and several steps you can take to prevent new ones from forming.

You Will Need:

* A medium-size pot of boiling water
* Tea tree, eucalyptus, or lavender essential oil
* A large towel
* A mild soap or facial cleanser
* Moisturizer containing retinol
* SPF 30 sunscreen
* Oil-free foundation
* Facial cleanser containing glycolic acid
* Baby shampoo
* Facial masks
* A dermatologist
* A natural sea sponge

Step 1: Don't pick them
Don't try to remove blackheads either with your fingernails or with any kind of instrument. Both can lead to infection and scarring.

Step 2: Steam your face
Boil a medium pot of water, add a few drops of tea tree, eucalyptus, or lavender essential oil, and place it on a table. Sit with your face over the pot for five minutes, with a towel draped over your head to trap the steam. The combination of steam and those particular oils will loosen existing blackheads. Repeat weekly.

Step 3: Wash your face
To prevent future blackheads, wash your face daily with warm water and a mild soap or cleanser that is color- and fragrance-free.

Step 4: Moisturize
Slather on an over-the-counter moisturizer containing the collagen-booster retinol every night after you wash your face. If you have sensitive skin, only use it every other day.

Step 5: Clean up your makeup act
Always use oil-free foundation, never put makeup on a sweaty face, remove makeup at night with a cleanser that contains glycolic acid, and clean makeup brushes and sponges with baby shampoo monthly.

Step 6: Put on a mask
Use a facial mask once a week. Clay masks are especially good for drawing impurities out of pores.

Step 7: Go to a pro
If new blackheads keep developing, consider going to a dermatologist for a medical facial.