Infected Blackheads

An infected blackhead occurs when you pinch, squeeze or try to pop a blackhead before it is "ready". You should never do this, it will just make it worse and force further dirt into the cells or push the bacteria deeper into the pore, both are bad for you and could increase the healing time.

As sebaceous material builds up, inflammation develops in the cells surrounding the pore. Blackheads can be infected or not infected depending on whether the P. acnes bacteria have been able to infect the cells around the pore.

To treat an infected blackhead, you can try these effective treatments;

• Over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria and helps prevent P. acnes from overgrowing.
• Prescription tretinoin products like Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, and Avita reverse the "stickiness" of the skin cells allowing them to slough normally.
• Over-the-counter salicylic acid 2% lotion is a beta hydroxy acid that also reverses the "stickiness" of the skin cells.
• Prescription topical antibiotics kill the P. acnes bacteria and might be used if some of the blackheads are infected.
• Prescription oral antibiotics also kill the P. acnes bacteria and might be used if many blackheads are infected or if there are infected papules or pustules.