11/29/2021
Sixty million people in the United States have acne, and it's not just for teens: One in five American adults has it, too.
You 👏🏽 are 👏🏽 not 👏🏽 alone!
The most common form of acne is comedonal, otherwise known as blackheads and whiteheads. These comedones are the result of a hair follicle getting clogged with oil, or sebum. Blackheads are open to the air, and whiteheads are pretty much closed.
🤔To extract or not to extract?
Since extractions are invasive, it's a serious question. When doing extractions, an esthetician manipulates the pores, either with fingertips or a metal tool, to remove the sebum that's causing the acne.
There's no doubt that extractions can be a major ally in the quest for smooth, clear skin. Getting that sebum out of the pore can flatten the bump, reduce the irritation and make pores appear smaller.
So, why the controversy? Shouldn't we all be extracting our little hearts out, ending up with perfect complexions?
Extractions require some skill to do correctly. Finger or tool placement, appropriate pressure, and squeezing technique are all learned during hands-on training, and not all estheticians are equally adept. What's more, the skin must be properly prepared before beginning extractions. This process often includes steam, exfoliation, and treatment afterward with a mild disinfectant and a pore-minimizing wash, usually in the form of toner or cool water.
Done well, this process can lead to clearer skin. But extracting incorrectly, such as with pressure that's too firm or in the wrong direction, can lead to increased irritation, broken capillaries and additional acne problems. In a worst-case scenario, inappropriate extractions can even cause infection and scarring. Poorly performed extractions can also be pretty painful: When done correctly, extractions may be a little uncomfortable but shouldn't hurt.
These are good reasons not only to avoid performing your own extractions at home -- amateurs rarely do extractions correctly -- but also to check the credentials of the person performing your facial.
