Why You Should Never Try the Popular Blackhead Removal Trick

Fei Yang, a Korean beauty YouTuber, recently revealed her go-to blackhead removal method, which involves Vaseline and plastic wrap. Yang said that it "melted" away her pimples in the now-viral video. However, she took sure to point out that due to the contentious mix, viewers could encounter varied outcomes.

She captioned the video, which had almost 250,000 views in just two days, "I know there's an ongoing discussion regarding whether or not Vaseline is healthy for your face or not, just like coconut oil." "Even though I believe my face can handle it, others may not. Please remember that because some of you may be a little more sensitive than others, haha."

Vaseline was initially spread all over Yang's face in the video. She covered her cheeks and nose with many layers of plastic wrap after that. She applied it in the evening and took it off in the morning. She cleaned the oil and grime out of her pores with two cotton swabs and her fingertips.

We contacted dermatologists to seek their opinions on this Vaseline-plastic wrap combination since we were interested.

Dr. William Kwan, a dermatologist practicing in San Francisco, tells Health that he would never advise any patient to use this procedure. "Placing plastic wrap over the skin physically closes the pores whereas Vaseline can clog pores. This could result in acne." He also makes the observation that it might not be safe to sleep with plastic wrap that is near to your nose. Dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD, of New York City, said that Yang's hack would worsen skin that is prone to acne.

It's also important to remember that not all blocked pores result in blackheads. Dr. Kwan speculates that Yang's may truly be sebum, or oily discharges from the skin's sebaceous glands.