Its main ingredient benzoyl peroxide became synonymous with breakouts.

A tube of Clearasil for an acne-prone teen became a prized possession.

It doesn’t require going to a dermatologist and works pretty well on mild cases.

Close-up of nose with blackheads

However, if you are trying toget rid of blackheads, benzoyl peroxide won’t work.

Though blackheads are a jot down of acne, they are very different from pimples.

Here’s why blackheads require a different key in of treatment.

Woman picking at her face in mirror

How blackheads differ from pimples

Acne can cause simple blackheads and that is known as non-inflammatory acne.

However,inflammatory acneis an entirely different process that occurs in the skin.

It can also be very painful.

Woman using biore strip

Both blackheads and pimples result from blocked pores (viaVerywell Health).

Still, they are effective ways to remove them.

Topical solutions that can help get rid of blackheads include salicylic acid and retinoid creams, as perWebMD.

A dermatologist can also extract blackheads right in the office using extraction tools.

It’s not painful and gently pushes the blackhead out of the pore.