Back in the 2000’s, I remember when some of the girls I knew would go and get their pimples injected at the dermatologist. For something like $75 a pop, the shots of hydrocortisone would take down their pimples within 24-48 hours, which made these injections super popular before events like homecoming, or prom, or when you knew you’d have class with a super hot guy the next day. It was a sizeable expense, but when you had something huge coming up, it was considered well-worth the splurge. (I, for one, did not partake for a myriad of reasons, but some of my friends did.)
Now that I’m an adult and it’s the 2010’s, it seems we’ve grown less dependent on dermatologists for everything from hair removal (see: No! No!) to mild laser treatments (see: Tanda Skin Care Device). Removing blemishes is no exception, with comedone extractors selling at faster rates than ever before.
However, like any treatment originally licensed solely to professionals, extractors have the potential to harm your skin. It is important to abide by very specific rules when using an extractor, especially early on:
Step 2. Cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser and warm water.
Normally, I’m all in favor of readers with acne using cleansers with acne-fighting ingredients: Go for the salicyclic acid! Go for the glycolic acid! (Just don’t go for benzoyl peroxide as an all-over wash, extractor or no extractor; benzoyl peroxide works in part by causing oxidation within the follicle, and the last thing you want is a pro-oxidant face!)
Furthermore, do NOT cleanse with any oil-based cleansers. While normally I also like these for oily and acne-prone skin (like dissolves like, so oil dissolves oil), it is a terrible idea to have a fine layer of oil over your skin before you open up your pores. You’re just asking to clog them up, potentially to an even higher degree than before!
That said, when it comes to using an extractor, you want for your skin to be clean, but also as intact as possible. For that reason, I recommend using an ultra-gentle cleanser, like our FutureDerm Skin Reborn Cleanser 8.31 ($39, FutureDerm.com/Shop), or CeraVe Gentle Foaming Cleanser ($9.99, Amazon.com), before pulling out the extractor.
Step 3. Gently press down on the top of the blemish with the extractor for 3-5 seconds.
Next, gently press down. The top of whitehead/blackhead, or comedone, should be at the top of your loop.
You will know if you’re pressing too hard if it hurts. Pain means that you’re pressing too hard, and you should stop, or else you could scar your skin. Instead, medium pressure, not pain. This part is an art and not a science, admittedly — different skins have different thickness, sensitivity, and reaction, so you have to do some trial-and-error. Unless, of course, you’re just really lucky and nail it down the first time!
Step 4. Using the same amount of pressure, stroke the extractor downwards, over the blemish.
Think of it like shaving your legs: Keep an even pressure, steady stroke, and always go in one direction. Only with blemish extractors, you should get a plug (ewww) coming out within 3 tries. If you do not, then the comedone is simply not ready to come out. It’s wise to leave it alone, or else you could end up with scarring.
Step 5. Recleanse, rinse with cold water, and apply very gentle products.
After you’ve extracted as many blemishes that will gently come out, it is time to close the pores as best as possible. First, you want to make sure that all of the debris is removed from your face — it’s likely that traces are still in the pores but close to the surface. So give your face a treatment with a gentle cleanser. Second, rinse with cold water. The old wives’ tale is true about cold water closing your pores, though to a small extent: cold water does tighten the pores, though the effect is very slight (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 2004).
Next, I’m usually all in favor of the heavy-hitting products: Retinol! Niacinamide! Peptides! But after your skin has gone through the trauma of essentially being pried open and ransacked (that sounds awful, but it’s true), the last thing you want to do in its heightened state of sensitivity is invite even the possibility of irritation. Hence this is the time for your ho-hum basic moisturizers, the kinds without the high concentration of active ingredients. Allow me to recommend our FutureDerm Organic 8 Toner and Moisturizer for these times, which contain antioxidants that are proven in independent peer-reviewed scientific research to be beneficial for the appearance of your skin, but which are also very gentle, with just 8 organic or all-natural ingredients each.
Step 6. Resist the urge to try again for at least a week.
The morning after a good extraction is like the morning after a passionate love affair. (Sorry to say it publicly, Mom, but it’s true!) You’re glowing, you feel beautiful, and the world is all hearts and flowers and rainbows and unicorns. (OK, maybe not that far, but you get the point).
However, just like calling the guy constantly afterwards, you can go too much too soon pretty easily with an extractor. You really have to exert some self-control and ease into it. Let your skin rest and breathe for at least a week before you try again, and that includes those pesky resistant spots on your face where the extractor didn’t work the first time. The reason? Your skin needs time to recover, and if you’re extracting point A on Monday and point B on Tuesday, chances are, you’re going to be really sensitive all over come Wednesday. And the last thing you want is to trade a few blemishes for irritated, red, puffy skin!
Bottom Line
Extractors are great, but be sure to use proper technique. Always follow our six-step procedure: Sanitize, Warm-cleanse, Position, Swipe, Cold-cleanse, and Wait. You can do what I did throughout college and medical school and remember these steps via acronym (SWPSCW): Smart Women Pick Someone Cool and Worthy — or come up with your own catchy phrase!
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