Do Pores Strips for Blackheads Really Work?
Stick-on, peel-off pore strips are popular skincare products among people who want to remove their blackheads quickly — or at least it seems that way. There’s something oddly satisfying about applying a strip, then peeling it off to see all the gunk that’s been hiding in your pores.
Although initially satisfying, those blackheads inevitably come back, so you have to go through the process all over again, sooner or later. Is that just the way things are, or is there a better solution? We think you’ll love knowing what really helps, but first: how do pore strips work?
How Pore Strips Work
There’s no secret science behind the way pore strips work. These skincare products for blackheads are composed of a cloth or cloth-like material that has a strong adhesive on one side. Wet the adhesive and apply the pore strip to the area where you have blackheads (nose, chin, or forehead). Let it sit for a few minutes, then remove the strip and see the results, which often appear as dark, hair-like blackhead “plugs” stuck to the strip. There’s nothing quite like an instant (and, let’s face it, kind of gross) fix!
The problem is that this fix isn’t really a fix at all. Yes, those are blackheads on the pore strip, but they’re only the surface of the problem. The only thing that comes off when you use a blackhead strip is the top layers of old skin, as well as the oxidised oil, which appears dark. The real cause of blackheads lies much deeper in the pore, which means removal using a pore strip product is an incomplete process, like mowing over weeds in your yard rather than plucking them out, roots and all.
It’s also worth noting that the adhesive on most pore strips can cause skin irritation. Some pore strip formulas contain drying or aggravating ingredients, like menthol, camphor, alcohol, or witch hazel. Irritated skin often leads to increased oil production, which means that over time you might wind up seeing more blackheads, not fewer.
What Really Helps Blackheads
What can you do to remove blackheads over the long term? The solution is, thankfully, simple:
- Begin with a gentle cleanser free of harsh ingredients. Anything that leaves your skin feeling tight and uncomfortable is likely drying out your skin.
- Avoid the use of overly emollient moisturizers on blackhead-prone areas.
- Use a well-formulated leave-on salicylic acid (BHA) exfoliant for blackheads. BHA is distinctively helpful for blackheads because of its ability to penetrate through oil to reach deep down into pores, where blackheads start. BHA in your skincare routine also helps shed built-up dead skin, and has calming properties to help reduce the appearance of redness.
- Use mild, oil-absorbing products to cut down on excess oil on the skin’s surface. A clay mask or a mattifying product can work wonders.
Shop Paula’s Choice collection of products for effective blackhead removal now!
References for this information
SA Pharmacist’s Assistant, December 2016, pages 20–21
Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology, August 2015, pages 451–455
