Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Look at your nose up close? Do you see those little black dots? Do they annoy you too? If you’ve got black dots on your nose, fear not! Black dot follicles on the nose are super common, and pore strips really are a great way to get rid of them.
What are Those Black Dots on Your Nose?
Those tiny black dots on your nose could be a couple of things. Often, they are open comedones, also known as blackheads—which are a type of acne. Clogged pores on your nose and blackheads form when your pore is stuffed with a combination of oil (sebum), bacteria, dead skin cells and other residue. When this pore clogging material is exposed to oxygen, it turns black.
Blackheads are more common in young adults, but can affect all ages. Blackheads are often treated with acne medications like Retin-A and Differin, which used to require a prescription, but is now sold over-the-counter! Black dot follicles are another cause of those black dots on your nose. Unlike blackheads, where your pores are dilated (enlarged), black dot follicle pores are not necessarily enlarged, but they are filled with sebum (oil) and sometimes even small retained hairs, which you might have seen if you’ve ever squeezed one of these dots out and examined it closely!
Treating Clogged Pores on Your Nose
Pore strips are a convenient and easy treatment of black dot follicles on your nose. And, let’s just be honest: They are super fun to use! Pore strips contain a type of glue that combines with the skin. When they dry, they are gently pulled away from your skin, and with them should come the black sebum material and small hairs that can cause the black dot follicles.
What Type of Pore Strips Should I Buy?
There are MANY types of pore strips out there, and everyone has their own preference. Biore pore strips are relatively inexpensive and get the job done well.
Cautions
Like with all things in life, you don’t want to overdo using pore strips for your black dot follicles. Pore strips can be irritating if used too often.
- Don’t use them more than once a week.
- Don’t use pore strips on irritated skin.
- Pull the strips away gently!
- Be sure to wash away any residual adhesive left behind on your skin.
- See a dermatologist if your skin is worsening or irritated!
Other Treatments for Clogged Pores
Another good treatment for skin that tends to get oily and is prone to clogged pores is a salicylic acid wash. If you don’t have acne, you may not need to use a salicylic acid wash every day but using them a few times a week can help reduce the oil/sebum on your skin, and may help you avoid some black dot follicles. Salicylic acid washes exfoliate your skin by softening and sloughing off the top layers of skin so that you’re less prone to clogged pores.
