Ask a Beauty Editor!

Q: As I've gotten older, my blackheads have gotten worse. My nose and chin look like they have little black craters. I've tried the strips and several scrubs, but no luck. Any suggestions?

A: A lot of people don't believe in facials—and I posit that those people don't have blackheads! Extraction at the hands of a ruthless, leave-no-pore-unclogged aesthetician can be brutal, but it works near-miracles for perpetually-broken out me. You don't need to splurge; wind instrument-heavy mood music and unlimited cucumber water will not, in fact, cure your acne—I get fantastic, no-frills facials at Mario Badescu here in New York for $65. Even though I find facials agonizingly boring, I force myself to go at least once every six weeks.

Other tips: Try doubling up pore strips—one on top of the other—and using them right out of the shower. Don't use bar soap. Clay masks help; so does being hugely vigilant about the products and makeup you wear—noncomedogenic and water-soluble only. We've heard very good things about the new-ish blackhead-erasing gadgets like this one from Clean & Clear, which vibrates to exfoliate pore-clogging dead skin cells, distributes salicylic acid (crucial anti-blackhead agent), and is waterproof and shower-safe.

But really? The best thing to do is toss the harsh scrubs and ask a dermatologist to prescribe you a retinoid: Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac, etc. All are incredibly effective—not only for preventing blackheads, but for drastically improving your skin in every way. For the rest of your life. Don't believe me? Ask The New York Times.

One last thing: In May, dermatologist-to-Madonna Dr. Brandt is launching PORES NO MORE VACUUM CLEANER (read about it here), the world's best-titled blackhead-treatment product of all time. Look for it (and report back!).

—Cat Marnell, associate beauty editor