Those black pore masks are potentially really ruining our skin

No more black beauty masks apparently...

We've all been there. That moment when you squeeze a blackhead and it all comes poring out (excuse the pun) and it feels so ridiculously satisfying, right? So, it's no wonder that people are addicted to those blackhead strips where you can see exactly what you've removed from your nose/forehead/chin, right?

Well, apparently they're actually not that good for you.

You've definitely seen the black beauty masks doing the rounds on Instagram because they're the giant face-sized versions of these and have quickly taken over sheet masks in social media popularity.

And, admit it, you'll have probably also noticed how red people's faces are after they peel the mask off because they're pretty damn sticky and hard to remove.

So, it's no surprise that beauty experts are saying that said masks could actually be really bad for our skin...

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According to The Huffington Post's skincare specialist blogger, Amanda Elias, pores aren't meant to be removed because they contain necessary oils for your skin to keep it all balanced, hydrated and overall healthy.

So, basically, what happens when you remove all these oils, is that your beauty goes into overdrive and will produce more to compensate for the loss which actually results in more blocked pores. If this seems counterintuitive, it's because it is.

And no, it's not just the oil you're removing either, you're also ripping off the top layer of your skin which can leave you vulnerable to infection. (Eek.)

Amanda Elias even goes on to explain that it might look like you're getting all the grossness out of that blackhead (and we all know how satisfying that is) but that you're just hitting the surface. So, apparently all we're doing is leaving our skin open to a whole hog of issues.

This is the first time we've thought of blocked pores as positively serving a purpose so we have to admit, we're a little confused but it does make sense.

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Instead of doing such a drastic pore removal, Amanda instead insists on cleaning, toning and moisturising to get the best routine going for clean and healthy skin. Here's how you should be getting rid of blackheads in a safe way - and how to zap that spot in time for the weekend.