36 replies to this topic

[JakeD]

That's it, I am sick of this...

I went in the bathroom, looked at all the products I have purchased over the years and counted up the dollars. I stopped at the $1,200 number. Most products don't have reviews, so it's trial and error.

I seriously don't know how I'll continue to live like this. I am 26 and the pores on my nose are so clogged they are visible from over 15 feet away. I don't go outdoors, get close to girls or get close to my friends. I don't like to go to work. I am on the edge of being fired as a result of calling in sick too many times when my nose gets all red from extracting a horrible clog. I feel anxiety and loneliness 24/7 and don't see a bright future in front of me. I think of dying a lot.

I have been to doctors, derms, etc and received nothing but poor care. The only thing that worked for a while was Paula's BHA for a few weeks, then the clogs came back and look worse now than they ever have. People say BHA is supposed to help with clogged pores, but I seriously saw better results with AHA gel 'cause everytime I put it on my nose the clogs get a tiny bit better. I haven't continued that method because people suggest the BHA, which makes the problem worse.. The BHA just filled 'em with oil and they got bigger and bigger and bigger. Now I look like I as freak that people would pay to see.

I really don't know what I'm going to do now. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years that made my clogged pores worse. I will probably be fired from my job. I can't get a g/f because I look too disgusting. From far away I'm a handsome guy, but these clogs just f--- up my life. I so very tired of it. I just want to find a product that actually works.

[AndyD]

Dude, I feel for you. Seriously, Don't let it ruin your life. Don't get fired because of this.

I had a 'strawberry' nose and spent a boat load of $$$ on Pore Strips. It worked but sometimes it was too sticky and peeled off the skin on the tip of my nose. It was tricky to use, if I didn’t wet it enough, I got a red patch, which looked really dumb. Also, if I didn’t position it correctly around the nose or over wet it, it didn’t work. I used 2 packs a week; half were wasted on do overs.

I even tried water based kiddy glue that you use in arts and crafts, it's the white, non toxic stuff, which worked too.

All I did was to softly rub my nose to make sure all the 'bits' clogging my pores were sticking out as much as possible and used a Q-tip to apply a thin layer of glue. Then you got to wait until it dried before peeling it off. It's not too strong, so it just sticks to the whiteheads and blackheads but not to skin. It's ok but takes a long time to dry completely, not practical, unless you want to spend more time in the toilet.

I was looking online and found Skinvac Pore Gripper on ebay, they show actual pore unclogging in action, on video, as in, you can see the pore clogging bits gripped out of your pore. It grips them out and leaves them on the skin surface so you can rinse them off.

I bought and tried it asap and it's better than glue, it only takes a few seconds, which works for me cuz I hate rushing in the mornings. Its cheap too, I think I paid $10 and it lasts for months.

The important thing is that you see what pores are unclogged so you can target specific areas only, so you don’t get a patchy red nose.

Cheer up, this may work for you too!

[acne_battle]

That's it, I am sick of this...

I went in the bathroom, looked at all the products I have purchased over the years and counted up the dollars. I stopped at the $1,200 number. Most products don't have reviews, so it's trial and error.

I seriously don't know how I'll continue to live like this. I am 26 and the pores on my nose are so clogged they are visible from over 15 feet away. I don't go outdoors, get close to girls or get close to my friends. I don't like to go to work. I am on the edge of being fired as a result of calling in sick too many times when my nose gets all red from extracting a horrible clog. I feel anxiety and loneliness 24/7 and don't see a bright future in front of me. I think of dying a lot.

I have been to doctors, derms, etc and received nothing but poor care. The only thing that worked for a while was Paula's BHA for a few weeks, then the clogs came back and look worse now than they ever have. People say BHA is supposed to help with clogged pores, but I seriously saw better results with AHA gel 'cause everytime I put it on my nose the clogs get a tiny bit better. I haven't continued that method because people suggest the BHA, which makes the problem worse.. The BHA just filled 'em with oil and they got bigger and bigger and bigger. Now I look like I as freak that people would pay to see.

I really don't know what I'm going to do now. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years that made my clogged pores worse. I will probably be fired from my job. I can't get a g/f because I look too disgusting. From far away I'm a handsome guy, but these clogs just f--- up my life. I so very tired of it. I just want to find a product that actually works.

Why dont you tell your boss why youve been calling in sick so much? If youre boss is nice, Im sure he/she will understand.

I have the same problem. I wake up every morning with clogged pores on my temples on my nose. I have over fifty blackheads there. The BHA also made mine worse. I threw my Paulas Choice products away.

I hope you start feeling better soon. Know that you are not the only member here on the org who suffers from too many blackheads/clogged pores

[spog]

Hey, I feel for you. Everyday my job takes me to places where I have to have face to face interaction with people and sometimes all I feel they look at is my nose. It started to really affect my performance and I just got to the point where I just forced myself to accept my acne. I realized there is no cure that is going to take it away this instance and if people want to stare at my nose because of some acne, I'm not going to stop them or let it stop me. Its not worth dying over because I am sure that someone on here will have an answer or at least be able to lead you in the right direction for dealing with your blackheads on your nose. Good Luck.

[Yvette2]

Hi there -

Have you tried facials at a local spa? I'm female, 39, and have a good complexion but somewhat large pores on my nose too. Yeah, similar to a strawberry. It took awhile finding a good aesthetician, but the current day spa I go to, the gal does a great facial and awesome extractions (unclogs all the pores). Once a month is good but twice is even better. Facials can be pricey, but honestly, my pores are soooo clean after! I also do my own masks twice or three times a week - one that works good is Dermalogical Pore refining mask. Also, other products I've used for unclogging the pores are: PCA (Physician's Choice) mild lactic acid cleanser and toner. Also, Neostrata PHA 4% cleanser is good. These products are available on dermstore.com. Prescription wise, have you tried Renova or Retin A micro? My Derm. recommends these for clogged pores and acne.

Right now, I don't use the products above because I'm on low dose Accutane for chin acne and mild Rosacea. Heard Accutane (very low dose) can help reduce inflammation and help with the acne on my chin. My case is mild - decided to go on it to see how it would work. So far really amazing!

I can understand your frustrations. I've spent tons of $$ on stuff too. I have a huge boxful of "duds". The products I mentioned above work really good for my pores, the key is doing the treatments often to get the plugs out and keep them clean. A facialist can get the gunk out of your pores first, then you can maintain with masks and good cleansers.... Then get facials as needed.

Good luck!

Yvette

That's it, I am sick of this...

I went in the bathroom, looked at all the products I have purchased over the years and counted up the dollars. I stopped at the $1,200 number. Most products don't have reviews, so it's trial and error.

I seriously don't know how I'll continue to live like this. I am 26 and the pores on my nose are so clogged they are visible from over 15 feet away. I don't go outdoors, get close to girls or get close to my friends. I don't like to go to work. I am on the edge of being fired as a result of calling in sick too many times when my nose gets all red from extracting a horrible clog. I feel anxiety and loneliness 24/7 and don't see a bright future in front of me. I think of dying a lot.

I have been to doctors, derms, etc and received nothing but poor care. The only thing that worked for a while was Paula's BHA for a few weeks, then the clogs came back and look worse now than they ever have. People say BHA is supposed to help with clogged pores, but I seriously saw better results with AHA gel 'cause everytime I put it on my nose the clogs get a tiny bit better. I haven't continued that method because people suggest the BHA, which makes the problem worse.. The BHA just filled 'em with oil and they got bigger and bigger and bigger. Now I look like I as freak that people would pay to see.

I really don't know what I'm going to do now. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years that made my clogged pores worse. I will probably be fired from my job. I can't get a g/f because I look too disgusting. From far away I'm a handsome guy, but these clogs just f--- up my life. I so very tired of it. I just want to find a product that actually works.

[JakeD]

Thanks a lot for the reply.

Extracting the pores has never been difficult for me. I can get them all out with minimal irritation, they just come back within 2-3 days. Immediately after the clog is gone, oil comes flowing out of each pore, making me look even worse. It is an extreme amount of oil that I have to wipe away every 2-5 minutes (I keep tissues around just for that). The oil keeps flowing until the pore is finally clogged again. It never gets a chance to heal. I don't see how I can possibly get the pores unclogged when the oil never stops flowing out. Either I have about 200 black spots or 200 puddles of oil. People say I should remove the dead skin, but isn't this completely an issue with the oil glands? I've been told that the oil will keep flowing out until the pore has completely healed. I tried extracting them and filling the empty pore with BHA, but that made it worse. In the past I extracted, scrubbed to remove dead skin, washed out the pores again 3 times daily and my nose got extremely shiny and red. Blackheads formed again by the time that irritation went away.

Can an aesthetician really help with this? I dont really care what anything costs... I just need to do something about this besides buying products that don't work. I imagine that most people who talk about clogged pores are talking about mildly clogged pores.

Hi there -

Have you tried facials at a local spa? I'm female, 39, and have a good complexion but somewhat large pores on my nose too. Yeah, similar to a strawberry. It took awhile finding a good aesthetician, but the current day spa I go to, the gal does a great facial and awesome extractions (unclogs all the pores). Once a month is good but twice is even better. Facials can be pricey, but honestly, my pores are soooo clean after! I also do my own masks twice or three times a week - one that works good is Dermalogical Pore refining mask. Also, other products I've used for unclogging the pores are: PCA (Physician's Choice) mild lactic acid cleanser and toner. Also, Neostrata PHA 4% cleanser is good. These products are available on dermstore.com. Prescription wise, have you tried Renova or Retin A micro? My Derm. recommends these for clogged pores and acne.

Right now, I don't use the products above because I'm on low dose Accutane for chin acne and mild Rosacea. Heard Accutane (very low dose) can help reduce inflammation and help with the acne on my chin. My case is mild - decided to go on it to see how it would work. So far really amazing!

I can understand your frustrations. I've spent tons of $$ on stuff too. I have a huge boxful of "duds". The products I mentioned above work really good for my pores, the key is doing the treatments often to get the plugs out and keep them clean. A facialist can get the gunk out of your pores first, then you can maintain with masks and good cleansers.... Then get facials as needed.

Good luck!

Yvette

That's it, I am sick of this...

I went in the bathroom, looked at all the products I have purchased over the years and counted up the dollars. I stopped at the $1,200 number. Most products don't have reviews, so it's trial and error.

I seriously don't know how I'll continue to live like this. I am 26 and the pores on my nose are so clogged they are visible from over 15 feet away. I don't go outdoors, get close to girls or get close to my friends. I don't like to go to work. I am on the edge of being fired as a result of calling in sick too many times when my nose gets all red from extracting a horrible clog. I feel anxiety and loneliness 24/7 and don't see a bright future in front of me. I think of dying a lot.

I have been to doctors, derms, etc and received nothing but poor care. The only thing that worked for a while was Paula's BHA for a few weeks, then the clogs came back and look worse now than they ever have. People say BHA is supposed to help with clogged pores, but I seriously saw better results with AHA gel 'cause everytime I put it on my nose the clogs get a tiny bit better. I haven't continued that method because people suggest the BHA, which makes the problem worse.. The BHA just filled 'em with oil and they got bigger and bigger and bigger. Now I look like I as freak that people would pay to see.

I really don't know what I'm going to do now. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years that made my clogged pores worse. I will probably be fired from my job. I can't get a g/f because I look too disgusting. From far away I'm a handsome guy, but these clogs just f--- up my life. I so very tired of it. I just want to find a product that actually works.

[JakeD]

Here's a pic to give you an idea of what my pores look like like. Mine are about the same pattern, only about 50% darker. When I saved this pic on another site mine looked almost exactly the same.

When I went to the derm they didn't suggest Retin-A or similar products. I wonder if blackhead medication like that would even help.

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...ost&id=8930

[AndyD]

I see what you mean, its kind of 'liquidy' rather than 'gritty'.

I read on another forum that too much oil can be caused by chemicals, your skin protects itself by making oil, some facial products are too strong and dissolves too much oil so your skin makes extra to protect itself.

Sounds like you've already tried all the medicated options, ever tried stuff without chemicals? Skinvac cuts down on excess oil production, maybe its the Deep Daily Cleansing you should try rather than Pore Gripper. My Derm told me to go home and stick with water to lower oil gland production. I guess sometimes, the strong stuff can make it worse.

Another product I found to deal with oil without chemicals is Gatsby paper, its really good if you are already at work and cant take anymore bathroom breaks , its a special blue paper that draws out oil without clogging pores, you get about 100 in a pack and its not expensive. Its comes in a pocket sized pack that you can carry around in your wallet.

I saw on TV that excess oil production can be dietary, some of the E numbers in soft drinks can mess with hormones which triggers breakouts on your face and body acne, like time travelling back into puberty.

Dude, at least you are handsome (from far away.....) I need a new Jaw line!

[ChinMusic]

I have nearly the same problem as you. The pores on my nose get clogged daily, and nothing I've used really helped with them.

I heard that clay masks are excellent for this tho. I am currently waiting for my Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay (or something like that, haha, basically bentonite clay) and this stuff is supposed to be superior for exfoliating your skin and unclogging your pores. I should be getting it any day now, after I use it I'll report back.

The stuff is cheap by the way, like, $7.50 per gallon tub of it .

[Wynne]

Thanks a lot for the reply.

Extracting the pores has never been difficult for me. I can get them all out with minimal irritation, they just come back within 2-3 days. Immediately after the clog is gone, oil comes flowing out of each pore, making me look even worse. It is an extreme amount of oil that I have to wipe away every 2-5 minutes (I keep tissues around just for that). The oil keeps flowing until the pore is finally clogged again. It never gets a chance to heal. I don't see how I can possibly get the pores unclogged when the oil never stops flowing out. Either I have about 200 black spots or 200 puddles of oil. People say I should remove the dead skin, but isn't this completely an issue with the oil glands? I've been told that the oil will keep flowing out until the pore has completely healed. I tried extracting them and filling the empty pore with BHA, but that made it worse. In the past I extracted, scrubbed to remove dead skin, washed out the pores again 3 times daily and my nose got extremely shiny and red. Blackheads formed again by the time that irritation went away.

Can an aesthetician really help with this? I dont really care what anything costs... I just need to do something about this besides buying products that don't work. I imagine that most people who talk about clogged pores are talking about mildly clogged pores.

It sounds like you might be too harsh with your skin. The max you should wash is twice a day. Once when you wake up and once when you go to sleep. My skin is very oily, but my acne would flare if I washed more than twice a day.

Gentle exfoliation and an AHA would be good. Try washing your face with a sensitive skin soap or cleanser, and use a baby hair brush for exfoliation. It sounds strange, but NdnRomeo's post about the baby hair brush method really worked for me. The baby hair brush costs less than $3.00 at any drug store. Good investment. Gentle exfoliation.

An aesthetician would really help if you could find one who is good with acne prone skin. He/She will also be able to suggest products that work for you. If you search for Willow569's posts, she shows the results of her aesthetician experience. Amazing difference!

Also, since you're calling in from work so much, have you considered treatment for depression? Long term stress and worrying over one's appearance can cause the development of depression. One way my depression used to manifest itself was by not being able to face work or school. Now that that is treated, I really could care less what my face looks like and I go to work without makeup every day! AND I'm happy. Good luck!

[AndyD]

I see what you mean, its kind of 'liquidy' rather than 'gritty'.

I read on another forum that too much oil can be caused by chemicals, your skin protects itself by making oil, some facial products are too strong and dissolves too much oil so your skin makes extra to protect itself.

Sounds like you've already tried all the medicated options, ever tried stuff without chemicals? Skinvac cuts down on excess oil production, maybe its the Deep Daily Cleansing you should try rather than Pore Gripper. My Derm told me to go home and stick with water to lower oil gland production. I guess sometimes, the strong stuff can make it worse.

Another product I found to deal with oil without chemicals is Gatsby paper, its really good if you are already at work and cant take anymore bathroom breaks , its a special blue paper that draws out oil without clogging pores, you get about 100 in a pack and its not expensive. Its comes in a pocket sized pack that you can carry around in your wallet.

I saw on TV that excess oil production can be dietary, some of the E numbers in soft drinks can mess with hormones which triggers breakouts on your face and body acne, like time travelling back into puberty.

Dude, at least you are handsome (from far away.....) I need a new Jaw line!

Sorry, forgot to add that immediately after I cleanse, I apply a really light moisturiser like Cyclax, and this makes the skin feel hydrated, so it does not produce excess oil. You will find that, in time, your face produces less and less oil.

[JakeD]

Gentle exfoliation and an AHA would be good.

I actually think that would work over time. The AHA seems to take away the pores in a matter of days. The problem is, I can only wear it at night because it leaves an extremely glossy finish that doesn't go away until wash it off. AHA gel and BHA gel together seem to do OK, but again, extreme high gloss finish. Every product I've ever used either drys up my nose to the max or leaves it shiny. I'm not talking about shiny from oil, like skin that is so glossed up it looks like a mirror. The result, I end up not using treatments during the day.

[h20]

Have you tried anything besides products. I only say so because personal experience has lead me to feel that products only exasperate a situation and make it last longer.
I have made significant dietry changes and have seen the blackheads covering my nose and forehead completely reversed within a month.
You must remember topicals only treat the symptoms of the problem, in your case oilyness and acne. They dont treat the cause of the problem.
If you can remove the cause of the problem you will eliminate the need to treat the symptom.

[Shandon2]

Hi there. What works for me is Pierre Chenxu products. They have an excellent blackhead remover called WonderGel. Also the Serious Skin Care line used to have a product called X-Tract...It worked amazing for my blackhead removal. I don't know if they carry it though in their current line. Good luck.

[Wynne]

Gentle exfoliation and an AHA would be good.

I actually think that would work over time. The AHA seems to take away the pores in a matter of days. The problem is, I can only wear it at night because it leaves an extremely glossy finish that doesn't go away until wash it off. AHA gel and BHA gel together seem to do OK, but again, extreme high gloss finish. Every product I've ever used either drys up my nose to the max or leaves it shiny. I'm not talking about shiny from oil, like skin that is so glossed up it looks like a mirror. The result, I end up not using treatments during the day.

I just use my AHA product (Avon's Anew Retexturizing Peel) once a day or every other day, at night. I kind of like the glossy finish as it reminds me not to touch my face! In the morning, I wash with Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser bar, or the wash using a baby's hair brush and generally don't apply anything before I go to work. I've been pleased with the results from that regimen. Good luck!

[Lainey321]

1 word....Finacea. I can't stop staring at the holes in my nose...it is weird when your pores are empty

[InsanelyOily]

Here's a pic to give you an idea of what my pores look like like. Mine are about the same pattern, only about 50% darker.
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...ost&id=8930

Dude, maybe the 50% darker makes a huge difference, and maybe the lighting of the shot (or my monitor, etc.) water it down, but, damn, I would consider that a normal nose.

My nose, as well as pretty much my entire face is full of clogged pores. I chuckle when people say "I have 50 clogged pores" etc., I think I can honestly squeeze white gunk out of EVERY pore on my face.

Praise the lord I'm finally able to keep the inflamation at bay, and monster cysts seem to have stopped for some reason. But still all the white in all my pores all the time drives me nuts.

The skin on my nose is much coarser than yours, i.e., my pores are much more pronounced. That nose in the pic is smooth as glass. I'd kill for that nose!

I had to log on to track this topic. I'm 35, have incredibly oily skin and a MAJOR skin exfoliation issue. I don't know if the extreme oil is causing the exfoliation issue or if the exfoliation issue is something separate.

If I go heavy w/ glycolic acid it sorta helps shave off the dead layers, but then my face gets super red and irritated and also appears even oilier since I believe there is less dead skin and less gunk in the pores to soak up and/or slow the flow of oil onto the surface of my skin. So it's not a good trade off.

My major problem is that my pores on my nose and elsewhere actually look 100% worse when I remove the clog w/ my nails or w/ biore strips, etc. When I do that I have huge holes. Maybe if I keep the holes empty over the long term they will shrink in size? I'll probably never know because living w/ the holes is not acceptable. My pores look much better w/ a big hunk of white gunk in them. The problem w/ the pores on my nose is they of course tend to get darker than the clogged pores on the rest of my face, and, thus, look more noticeable and unsightly.

Anyway, if you figure this shit out, please post your success here or elsewhere. I'm going to investigate some of the suggestions above.

I'm currently playing around w/ mandelic acid, especially on my nose. I think it has made the pores less dark, perhaps by just filling them w/ more dead skin cells which the acid helps loosen up so they can stick together in the pore.

Since that nose in the pic is glass smooth, perhaps you could look into just bleaching them or otherwise trying to get rid of the dark color. Again, if you're skin on your nose is like that you are totally lucky. My mom use to tell me many moons ago that hydrogen peroxide would bleach the blackhead and make it less dark. Maybe look into that or some sort of bleaching technique. With a nose that smooth, all you need to do is get rid of the darkness of the dots/pores.

Also, I thought I read in some of your prior posts that you've fiddled w/ cover up? When I clear some of them and I have huge holes, I always regret having extracted the plug and I usually end up trying to fill the holes w/ tinted cover up. I'm also a dude, but you got to do what you got to do. I'm sure the women in the house could hook you up w/ a way to conceal the blackheads w/ a durable coat of something. Definitely explore that if it is bumming you out as much as it sounds like it is.

KEEP YOUR FREEKIN HEAD UP! I'm serious, I would die for a nose like that pic. Yours better be a whole hell of a lot worse. Keep experimenting. You've got another decade of experimentation before you catch up to me, and even longer to catch up to many others.

[Sirena]

From what I understand your problem seems to be too much oil production. Does the rest of your face get very oily as well? In any case you've mentioned a LOT of products you've been using. It might be that you're aggravating your oil glands with all that you've been doing. I used to have a problem where my face would get very oily just because of all the commercial products I've been using.

I have nearly the same problem as you. The pores on my nose get clogged daily, and nothing I've used really helped with them.

I heard that clay masks are excellent for this tho. I am currently waiting for my Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay (or something like that, haha, basically bentonite clay) and this stuff is supposed to be superior for exfoliating your skin and unclogging your pores. I should be getting it any day now, after I use it I'll report back.

The stuff is cheap by the way, like, $7.50 per gallon tub of it .

Clay is great for cleaning out your pores. I suggest you give it a try. Now you might think this is crazy, but instead of moisturizer have you tried using oil on your face? I suggest you try jojoba oil. After cleansing your face try rubbing in a little bit before going to bed. Put on enough so your skin doesn't feel dry or tight. It has helped me regulate the oil production on my face, it never gets oily anymore and doesn't break out my skin. Maybe you can give this a try for a few days and see if it helps. In any case I hope you find something that works for you.

[bluemorpho]

you didn't mention how long you used the paula's choice BHA for, if you had the purging stage with it (thus knowing that it's working for you) or if you quit before that happened. remember that you need to use products for a few months to really get a good effect!
also, i agree that mandelic acid (the vivant 15% from diana yvonne, expecially) has been really good for my blackheads, making them look more refined -- i am using that, green cream, and just started paula's BHA.
the mandelic can be drying but is worth it -- you also go through the purging stage, which you just need to live through, knowing that your pores will look smaller and that the blackheads will go away. you also need to remember that if you stop using products that work for you, your condition might come back, since it was most likely a result of not shedding enough skin and getting dead skin clogged in your pores. retinoids are good for quick cell turnover in that way. look on the green cream board under over-the-counter products and also on the mandelic board on this forum.
good luck! and remember that you are only 26 and will not have this problem your whole life!!!!

[Metacom]

I had a blackhead problem with my nose, enlarged pores etc.

As far as the social bit goes I know exactly what your feeling...people take a step in and I take two steps back. I cant pass by a mirror without stopping and starring at my nose and feel disgusted.

I talked my derm into letting me back onto accutane as it literally turns off the oil glands in your skin. After after a few weeks I saw a big difference, after the first month I can safely say 90% of my pores cleared up. heading into my 2nd month now there are only a few stubborn ones left that I can tell are already drying out.

Although my blackheads are clearing away (for good lets hope) I still find myself thinking how much I hate this body and even now I still feel as if the only thing people see are the flaws.

It is deeply isolating, just remember your not alone.