The comedone puller, also called a comedone extractor, is a precise and effective tool that helps remove blackheads. Before any use, it is advisable to take some precautions to avoid infections or to facilitate the extraction of comedones. There are various models of comedone removers suitable for all sizes of blackheads.

The comedone puller, also called a comedone extractor, is a small instrument that comes in the form of a metal rod with a tip with a round or elongated loop. Some models just have a round drilled end. The comedone puller actually looks like a large sewing needle, except that the hole at the end of it is much larger.

The comedone remover effectively and easily eliminates comedones, also called blackheads, present on your body and which can appear at any age.

A comedo corresponds in fact to a vermicular mass, that is to say having the shape of a small worm, of whitish sebaceous material, with blackish top, in a pilosebaceous follicle most often of the face, and in particular at the level of the T zone. This zone which includes the forehead, the chin and the nose indeed tends to be “more oily” than the others, the production of sebum being more dense there, resulting in consequence the appearance of comedones .

The use of this small metal instrument reduces the risk of contamination and bacterial infection and therefore the appearance of pimples, compared to the use of his fingers. This is because bacteria, located on your hands and under your fingernails, can contaminate the pores of your skin when you try to manually remove a comedo.

The use of the comedone remover is not reserved for professionals. You can use it yourself, provided you follow a few rules.

Precautions to take

Avant

Easy to use, the comedone remover must nevertheless be well cleaned and disinfected before and after each use. Indeed, even if the extraction of a comedone does not generally lead to injury, the comedone puller can carry pathogens. In addition, good cleaning optimizes the life of this tool by preventing the appearance of rust.

Thus, before using a comedone remover, it is advisable to:

• remove all the impurities present on the blackhead remover. To do this, simply wipe it off with a wipe or sponge soaked in hot water;
• then disinfect the comedo extractor with 90 ° alcohol. If you use a specific disinfectant, check if you are not allergic to any of the components of the latter;
• disinfect your hands using a hydroalcoholic solution.

To extract comedones more easily, it is also recommended to prepare the skin of your face before using the comedone remover. To do this :

• clean and disinfect your face with lukewarm water and a mild antiseptic soap, after having carried out meticulous make-up removal from the eyes and skin if necessary;
• remove impurities and dead cells with a gentle exfoliation;
• dilate the pores of your skin by applying a towel or glove soaked in hot water for several minutes, or by doing a steam bath, positioning your face over a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. seconds while covering your head with a towel. The larger the pores, the easier the comedones will be to remove ;
• to limit the risk of infection, also disinfect the area to be treated by dabbing it with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

Pendant

Once the skin is well prepared, the use of the comedone remover consists of:

• position the rounded end on the areas affected by the blackheads, making sure to position the blackhead remover so that the black point is in the center of the loop. This operation can be carried out, using a mirror if necessary;
• then press the comedone extractor slowly and firmly. If the skin is well dilated, a slight pressure will be enough to expel blackheads and excess sebum;
• in the face of recalcitrant blackheads, it is possible to use the pointed end of the comedone puller, to make a small incision and thus facilitate their extraction.

After

After removing the comedones, it is advisable to disinfect the treated area well. At the same time, once the comedone remover is well cleaned and disinfected, do not forget to store it in a clean and dry place.

Using a comedone remover to remove blackheads is still the oldest way to go. Indeed, the comedone puller made its appearance in the 70s. It then appeared in the form of a small metal rod with a “hole cup” at the end, that is to say a kind of small. hole cut with a handle. The operating principle was already the same as today: we positioned the hole in the cup on the black point to be removed then we exerted a certain pressure for the expulsion to occur.

The major flaw of this first model of blackhead remover was that the sebum collected in the cup and blocked the hole through which the black point had to pass. This led to the invention of other types of comedone pullers differing in the shape of their extractor (round, flat, square, pointed, etc.).

Towards the end of the 80s, the comedone remover was losing popularity due to the emergence of new acne treatments and the advent of exfoliation, blackhead fly patches and new knowledge acquired in the field of acne. hygiene of the skin of the face. Despite its decline, many people continue to use the comedone remover to remove blackheads.

Blackhead removers can be bought in pharmacies and cosmetic stores. There are different types of blackhead remover:

• models with a round curl are made to remove blackheads;
• those with a longer curl are made to remove whiteheads.

Regarding their size, you should choose your comedone remover according to the size of the black point to be extracted. Blackhead removers can also be purchased in a box containing models of different sizes, suitable for all sizes of blackheads.