How to get rid of whiteheads without picking

Whiteheads are small, closed bumps where a pore has filled with oil and dead skin cells. They sit under a thin layer of skin, so it is tempting to squeeze them. The treatment dermatologists recommend is slower: a product that clears the pore, spread over the whole area, used every day for weeks. This guide covers that treatment step by step, what else helps, and when to see a dermatologist. For the same plan applied to blackheads, see how to get rid of blackheads.

First, check that it is a whitehead

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says a whitehead forms when "excess oil and dead skin cells build up and plug the opening of a pore," causing "a blemish that is raised and white or flesh colored." The NHS says whiteheads are "usually the same colour as your skin but some may have white pus." The medical name is closed comedo, and the guide closed comedones explains the term.

Three other bumps get confused with whiteheads:

• A pustule is a red pimple with a yellow or white center. The AAD says pustules "contain a yellowish fluid" and tells people to resist popping them.
• Milia are tiny, hard white bumps of trapped dead skin. MedlinePlus says adults may have them removed to improve their appearance.
• An epidermoid cyst is a lump under the skin that MedlinePlus says "will often have a tiny hole or pit in the center."

Small white bumps that crowd the nose have their own causes, covered in whiteheads on the nose.

The treatment dermatologists recommend

The AAD's page on acne types gives one plan for blackheads and whiteheads: "To unclog pores, dermatologists recommend using a retinoid. You can buy one retinoid, adapalene, without a prescription. You'll also want to use a benzoyl peroxide wash." It then says: "Give treatment six to eight weeks to work."

A retinoid is a medicine made from vitamin A. The AAD says a retinoid applied to the skin "works to clear your pores, and can treat blackheads, whiteheads, and some pimples." Benzoyl peroxide, the AAD says, "reduces acne-causing bacteria on your skin." The 2024 acne guideline from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology gives both strong recommendations.

How to use adapalene on whiteheads

The adapalene 0.1 percent Drug Facts label gives the directions:

1. Clean the skin gently and pat it dry.
2. "Cover the entire affected area with a thin layer." If whiteheads are on your forehead and chin, treat the forehead and chin in full.
3. Use it once a day. The label says: "Applying more than directed will not provide faster or better results, but may worsen skin irritation."
4. Keep it away from the eyes, lips and mouth.
5. Limit sun and use sunscreen when outdoors.

The label warns that "during the early weeks of use, your acne may appear to worsen before it improves (this is normal)." It also says irritation, such as redness, itching, dryness and burning, is more likely in the first few weeks. A moisturizer helps, the label says.

Skinli's photo plan starts adapalene every other night for the first two weeks, then every night, and uses benzoyl peroxide 2.5 percent as well. The AAD's adult acne page suggests starting benzoyl peroxide at 2.5 percent, because it helps "avoid side effects like dry, irritated skin or a burning sensation." FDA labeling for benzoyl peroxide warns that it can bleach hair and dyed fabrics, so use white towels and pillowcases.

Salicylic acid and other options

Salicylic acid. The AAD says: "Because it unclogs pores and exfoliates the skin, salicylic acid works best on whiteheads and blackheads." To exfoliate means to remove dead skin from the surface. The FDA allows 0.5 to 2 percent in acne products and directs people to start with one application a day. The 2024 guideline gives salicylic acid a conditional recommendation, a weaker grade than retinoids. The guide salicylic acid for blackheads covers it in detail.

Use one pore-clearing product at a time. The adapalene label says irritation is more likely "if using more than one topical acne medication at a time." Skinli's plan asks people to set salicylic acid aside while they use adapalene. The AAD's habit guide adds that trying a new acne treatment every week or so can irritate the skin.

Azelaic acid. The AAD says it "opens clogged pores and helps keep them open."

Why squeezing makes whiteheads worse

A whitehead is closed at the top, so pressing on it pushes against skin with no opening. The AAD says "Picking at whiteheads can lead to more whiteheads and acne scars." Its skin care habits page explains the reason: when you pop or squeeze acne, "you're likely to push some of what's inside (e.g., pus, dead skin cells, or bacteria) deeper into your skin," which increases inflammation and "can lead to more-noticeable acne and sometimes scarring and pain."

Other sources agree:

• The AAD's pimple popping page adds the risk of "getting an infection from the bacteria on your hands."
• MedlinePlus says to avoid aggressively squeezing, picking or rubbing pimples, because it "can lead to skin infections, slower healing, and scarring."
• NICE, the UK guideline body, says persistent picking "can increase the risk of scarring."
• The NHS says: "do not pick or squeeze spots because this can cause scars."

Metal tools sold for whiteheads carry the same risks when used at home. The guide comedone extractors covers what the studies and the AAD say about them.

What to do with a whitehead today

If a whitehead bothers you right now, the AAD's advice is to leave it alone and treat the skin around it. Its pimple popping page lists three habits that help acne clear faster: keep your hands away from your face, treat your acne with a product you can buy in a store, and give that product time. It says touching, picking and popping "can worsen acne," and that squeezing out a blackhead "can delay clearing."

You can cover a whitehead with makeup. The AAD's makeup page says it is fine to wear makeup with acne if you choose products that will not clog pores, and to "apply the acne medication first." Remove the makeup before bed.

Stop the products that cause them

Some whiteheads come from what you put on your skin and hair. The AAD calls this acne cosmetica. With hair products, "you'll likely get whiteheads and tiny flesh-colored bumps called 'papules,'" along the hairline, forehead or back of the neck. With makeup, the AAD says many women get small whiteheads that sit raised above the skin. Lipstick or lip balm can cause tiny breakouts around the lips.

The AAD's advice:

• Use makeup, sunscreen, skin care and hair products labeled "non-comedogenic" or "won't clog pores."
• Remove makeup before bed, every night.
• Keep oily hair products, such as pomade, off your forehead.
• Wash your face twice a day and after sweating, with your fingertips.

When a product is the cause, the AAD says the acne "will slowly clear" after you stop using it. For hair products, the AAD says to expect clearing within 6 weeks.

How long it takes

Time	What the sources say
First weeks	Irritation is more likely, and acne may look worse before it improves (adapalene label)
4 to 8 weeks	Fewer breakouts, per the AAD's adult acne page
6 to 8 weeks	The AAD's point to judge a treatment
Up to 3 months	Time to see results on the adapalene label
3 to 4 months	Complete clearing, per the AAD

Take a photo on day one in the same light, then every two weeks. A series of photos makes slow change easier to see.

Keep whiteheads from coming back

The AAD says blackheads and whiteheads "can return, so you'll need to follow a skin-care plan to prevent new blemishes." Its page on stubborn acne adds: "Even when you see clearing, you'll want to keep using the acne treatment. This helps to prevent new breakouts." Dermatologists may recommend a topical retinoid as a maintenance treatment once acne is under control, the AAD says.

When to see a dermatologist

See a dermatologist if whiteheads remain after six to eight weeks of daily treatment, if they keep coming back in the same place, if you are not sure what the bumps are, or if you also have deep or painful lumps. The AAD says a dermatologist can remove whiteheads with acne extraction, which uses sterile instruments, and can prescribe stronger retinoids. The guide how a dermatologist removes blackheads explains what that visit involves. Skinli gives general education and is not a doctor. If you want a plan built for your skin, start with a photo at Skinli's free acne plan.