Contrary to popular belief, blackheads aren't caused by dirt, eating to much chocolate or not washing your face properly. They occur when the pores on your skin become clogged with skin debris, bacteria and oil (sebum). Blackheads, also known as open comedones, are open spots on the surface of your skin where blocked oils turn black inside of the pore. Whiteheads, also known as closed comedones, are not open at the surface, so the clogged oils appear white.An extractor tool is one of the easiest, quickest way to remove these annoying, skin blockages. They are often used in professional facials to quickly extract a large area, and are much less damaging to the skin than squeezing with your fingers. How to Get Rid of Blackheads: Wash hands. Soak the extractor in rubbing alcohol for one minute to sterilize. Keep alcohol handy as you continue process. Cleanse your face with warm water, and hold a warm face cloth to the area for a few seconds to open up the pores. Steam your face if possible over a bowl of hot water, or do so after a shower. Place the extractor loop end over the blackhead or whitehead you want to extract. It helps to use a magnifying mirror; if you don’t have one, be sure you have good lighting. Press down gently. This forces the blackhead or whitehead blockage to pop out through the loop. You should be able to feel the tiny pressure as you press down, and the blockage should come out as a plug.If it’s a whitehead, move the tool across the top (think of spreading butter on toast) to remove the emerging substance completely. Wipe yuck onto a paper towel; and re-sterilize the extractor with rubbing alcohol. Repeat until you’ve successfully removed all blackheads and whiteheads. Once you’ve done your extracting, make sure you apply astringent and/ or acne care medication to the affected areas to keep your newly-opened pores free of bacteria. Wash the extractor in hot soapy water, sanitize with alcohol and allow to air dry.