End Blackheads With These Genius Skin Tricks

You've seen the YouTube tutorials, you've sat through countless gory Dr Pimple Popper videos, you've tried the DIY facial scrub recipes, yet still those little black dots all over your nose refuse to budge. Yes, blackheads are exceedingly common (although make sure you're not confusing them with sebaceous filaments). But why are they so irksome?

"I think it's partly because they feel rough to the surface," says Doris J. Day, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist and author of 100 Questions & Answers About Acne. "There's the idea that blackheads are stuck in your skin — and if you remove them, there's a sense of gratification and relief that they're gone. Blackheads just seem so manageable in that way: You just get them out, and then you're done."

That perception couldn't be further from the truth. Getting rid of blackheads — for good — is a process that requires the right products (hello, salicylic acid), a regular skincare regimen, and sometimes even the help of pros. Ahead, we spoke to Dr. Day about her most effective tricks.