Blackheads are small, dark bumps on the skin caused by clogged pores that remain open at the surface. Their medical name is open comedones. Unlike pimples, they aren’t inflamed or infected, and they don’t hurt. They’re one of the mildest and most common forms of acne, showing up most often on the nose, chin, and forehead.
How Blackheads Form
Your skin is covered in tiny hair follicles, each connected to an oil-producing gland. These glands make sebum, a waxy substance that keeps your skin moisturized. A blackhead starts when dead skin cells don’t shed normally and instead accumulate inside the follicle, mixing with sebum to form a small plug deep in the pore. This microscopic blockage, called a microcomedo, is the starting point for nearly all types of acne.
Over time, more dead skin cells and oil collect behind the plug. As the material builds up, it stretches the pore open. Once the opening is wide enough for the contents to be exposed to air, you have a blackhead. This is the key difference from a whitehead: in a whitehead (closed comedo), the pore stays sealed with only a tiny opening at the surface, trapping everything underneath. In a blackhead, the pore is visibly dilated and the plug sits right at the surface.
Why They Look Black
The dark color has nothing to do with dirt. When the oily plug inside the pore is exposed to air, the lipids in it undergo oxidation, the same chemical reaction that turns a sliced apple brown. Melanin, the pigment your skin naturally produces, is also present in the material filling the pore. The combination of oxidized oils and melanin gives blackheads their characteristic gray, brown, or black appearance. The deeper or older the plug, the darker it tends to look.
What Causes Them
Four things drive blackhead formation: excess oil production, abnormal buildup of dead skin cells inside the pore, bacteria on the skin, and inflammation. You don’t need all four at once. Blackheads specifically are most tied to the first two, since they’re not inflamed the way pimples and cysts are.
Several factors increase your chances of developing them:
- Hormonal changes. Puberty, menstrual cycles, and hormonal fluctuations increase sebum production, which is why blackheads often spike during the teenage years and around periods.
- Oily skin type. People whose glands naturally produce more sebum are more prone to clogged pores.
- Comedogenic products. Certain skincare and makeup ingredients are known to clog pores. Research has identified specific offenders, including isopropyl palmitate, lanolin, coal tar derivatives (like D&C red dyes), coconut oil, cocoa butter, and sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Friction or pressure. Tight clothing, helmets, or resting your chin on your hand can push oil and debris into pores.
Blackheads vs. Whiteheads
Both are comedones, meaning they’re pores clogged with the same mix of oil and dead skin. The structural difference is simple: blackheads have a wide opening at the skin’s surface, while whiteheads have a very small or closed opening. Because whiteheads are sealed off, the trapped material stays white or flesh-colored since it never contacts air. Blackheads are exposed to oxygen, so they darken. Neither type is more “dirty” than the other.
Whiteheads are slightly more likely to progress into inflamed pimples because the sealed environment makes it easier for bacteria to multiply. Blackheads can persist for weeks or months without becoming inflamed, which is why they often feel more like a cosmetic nuisance than an active breakout.
Over-the-Counter Treatments That Work
The most effective ingredient for blackheads is salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid found in cleansers, toners, and leave-on treatments. It works because it’s oil-soluble, meaning it can actually penetrate into the oily environment inside a clogged pore, something water-soluble ingredients can’t do. Once inside, it breaks apart the bonds holding dead skin cells together, loosening the plug so it can work its way out. Concentrations of 0.5% to 2% are standard in over-the-counter acne products and are effective for regular use.
Benzoyl peroxide is another common option. It primarily targets bacteria, so it’s more useful when blackheads coexist with inflamed pimples, but it also helps keep pores clear. Glycolic acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids work on the skin’s surface to speed up cell turnover, preventing the dead cell buildup that starts the clogging process in the first place.
Pore strips pull out the top portion of the plug and can give immediate visual results, but they don’t address what’s happening deeper in the follicle. Blackheads typically refill within days if you’re not using something that changes how the pore sheds cells.
Prescription Options for Stubborn Blackheads
When over-the-counter products aren’t enough, topical retinoids are the standard next step. These are vitamin A derivatives that fundamentally change how skin cells behave inside the pore, preventing the abnormal buildup that creates the plug in the first place. Adapalene, the most commonly prescribed retinoid for acne, is now also available at lower strengths without a prescription in many countries.
Retinoids are not a quick fix. The standard timeline for reassessing whether they’re working is 12 weeks, and many people experience dryness, peeling, or a temporary worsening of breakouts in the first few weeks as the skin adjusts. Sticking with it matters: studies on adapalene combined with benzoyl peroxide showed that easing into treatment more slowly during the first month didn’t change the results at the 12-week mark, so consistent use over time is what drives improvement.
Preventing Blackheads
Since blackheads are fundamentally about pores filling up faster than they can clear themselves, prevention focuses on keeping that cycle in check. A daily cleanser with salicylic acid helps maintain clear pores over time, not just during a breakout. If your skin is dry or sensitive, using a salicylic acid treatment a few times per week rather than daily can be enough.
Choosing the right moisturizer and sunscreen matters more than most people realize. Products labeled “non-comedogenic” are designed not to clog pores, but it’s worth knowing that the FDA does not regulate this term. There’s no standardized testing a product must pass to carry that label, so it’s not a guarantee. Reading ingredient lists is more reliable. Avoid products containing isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl isostearate, myristyl myristate, and heavy botanical oils like coconut oil or wheat germ oil if you’re prone to clogged pores. Lighter options like mineral oil (despite its reputation) and dimethicone-based products are generally well tolerated.
Washing your face twice a day, removing makeup before bed, and keeping phones and pillowcases clean all reduce the amount of oil and debris sitting on your skin. Avoid squeezing blackheads with your fingers. The pressure can push material deeper into the pore, damage the follicle wall, and lead to inflammation or scarring that wouldn’t have happened if the blackhead had been left alone or treated topically.