We’ve all been there: you wash your face, pat it dry, then look in the mirror only to discover a patch of blackheads on the tip of your nose. The only thing to do? Start squeezing.

Painful Satisfaction
Borderline gross, yet extremely rewarding – with every successful purge, you feel a sense of satisfaction. “There is something oddly satisfying in being able to take your fingernail and have this relief. It’s that immediate satisfaction that’s really gratifying,” says Dr. Samantha Boardman, M.D. and founder of Positive Prescription, a New York City-based positive psychology practice.

For most people, squeezing to remove blackheads is a habit they can control. Yet for some, it can quickly become a compulsion. “Every time they do it, they release a little bit of dopamine – the same kind of neurotransmitter that’s released with many addictive behaviours,” says Dr. Michelle Henry, Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at Weill Medical College. Dopamine directly affects your emotions, as well as your sensation to pleasure and pain. It controls the brain’s reward centre, which explains why squeezing to remove blackheads is so addictive and particularly hard to stop.

The Skin-Compromising Consequences
Every squeeze session causes visible skin damage, especially if it’s a daily occurrence. “Squeezing, picking, prodding – all of that can stretch the elastic around the pores, which makes them wider and larger, and they won’t bounce back into shape. Ultimately, your pores will look bigger and become increasingly more visible. The perimeter of your pore is like the neck of a t-shirt. Once it's stretched out, it will never go back to its original shape. It’s irreversible damage,” says Dr. Henry. Damaging your skin by squeezing or picking can also cause inflammation, hyperpigmentation and scarring. Squeezing additionally introduces bacteria, oil and dirt from your hands into your pores, which can lead to more blackheads.

Breaking Bad Habits
When you feel the urge to purge, look for a distraction: take a walk, call a friend, even slip on a pair of gloves. “You want to interrupt the pattern,” says Dr. Boardman. Also, adds Dr. Henry, arm yourself with a great product that will remove blackheads without damaging your skin. This way, you’ll get the instant gratification, without risking enlarged pores, pain or scarring. Her recommendation: Self-Heating Blackhead Extractor. This purifying formula heats up when mixed with water, gently opening up pores so that salicylic acid, bamboo powder and pumice can work to clear out oxidised oil, dirt and debris without damaging the skin. It also has a textured applicator tip that helps loosen up and remove blackheads once and for all. All gain, no pain.

Model photography: Christine Hahn | Words: Julie Redfern