How do I get rid of this blackhead on my back?

January 7, 2009 1:48 PM

I have an old, large blackhead on my back that resists my attempts to remove it by squeezing (due to its position). I asked my dermatologist to remove it and he said "have your wife squeeze it out." He gave me no clue as to why he wouldn't do it. I was not about to ask my wife to do this yucky thing. OK, so who do you go to to get this done?
posted by Rad_Boy to health & fitness (31 answers total)

Craigslist... no, seriously though- since the dermatologist ship has sailed, you could always to to some kind of spa that does skin care treatments. I know that squeezing blackheads is something that gets done when you get a facial.
posted by GleepGlop at 1:54 PM on January 7, 2009

Yep, there are specifically "back facials" you can get as a spa treatment that should take care of this.
posted by scody at 1:57 PM on January 7, 2009

Get a new dermatologist? What kind of advice is have your wife do it? Are you sure he wasn't joking?
posted by holympus at 1:57 PM on January 7, 2009 [2 favorites]

You are looking for a spa that does "extractions".
posted by kimdog at 2:02 PM on January 7, 2009

Why don't you want to ask your wife? Why hasn't she already offered? I have delighted in popping and plucking and maintaining in various ways every person I have ever dated, and anyone I have ever discussed it with has said that they do too. I think its very common to not only do this but enjoy it.

But sure, you can go to a spa if she's squeemish or if you just prefer to pay a stranger to do it.
posted by palegirl at 2:02 PM on January 7, 2009 [5 favorites]

Get one of these. They'll extend your reach and work wonders on your blackheads. Alternately, it would be a less yucky option for your wife.

I do this sort of thing for my husband from time to time with no ill effects, but I understand if you're reluctant to have your wife help.
posted by Alison at 2:04 PM on January 7, 2009

Seriously, just ask your wife to do it. She'll do it because that's what spouses do. I'm sure she would prefer the 1 minute of grossness to the $100 you'd spend at a spa to have a back zit popped. For the record, even though I think it's repulsive, I do this exact service for my wife. I've survived the ordeal several times.
posted by puritycontrol at 2:13 PM on January 7, 2009

I'm fairly sure you and your wife have done "yuckier" things than popping a blackhead. Isn't tne entire point of marriage that you have someone to scratch that spot on your back that you can't reach?
posted by GuyZero at 2:24 PM on January 7, 2009 [2 favorites]

What kind of advice is have your wife do it?

The kind of advice that saves you money? When had 14 stitches in my head the doctor said 'you could come back to have them removed' and I got the idea, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
posted by fixedgear at 2:37 PM on January 7, 2009

I love - LOVE - extracting my husband's back-blackhead. Every time it comes back I do a little dance. It's.. cathartic. It makes me feel accomplished. It allows me to make EWWWW noises.

Good times.

Note that the word "extraction" is what makes the whole thing sound professional and, may I say, classy!
posted by VioletU at 2:49 PM on January 7, 2009 [17 favorites]

We are, as Douglas Adams would put it, "ape-descendents". Get down with your primate self and ask your mate to groom your back.
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 3:03 PM on January 7, 2009 [3 favorites]

Why don't you want to ask your wife? Why hasn't she already offered? I have delighted in popping and plucking and maintaining in various ways every person I have ever dated, and anyone I have ever discussed it with has said that they do too. I think its very common to not only do this but enjoy it.

Ditto, unfortunately, my SO is a responsible non-squeezer, of both his own and the blackheads of others and won't indulge me. Luckily, I have friends that let me squeeze theirs.

Do you have a friend who you can ask to do this for you, if your wife won't?
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 3:03 PM on January 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm with fixedgear. I bet your doc said to ask your wife because he would have to charge a crazy extraction fee. I'm shocked at what kinds of things are labeled as surgery, not that this would be but I bet it would cost way more than you think.
posted by Bunglegirl at 3:06 PM on January 7, 2009

I'd say get a new dermatologist. I had one of these, and sought medical attention because I couldn't get a clear look at it to verify it wasn't something worse. The dermatologist took one look, said "Lie down on the table," squeezed it out, and proscribed me some anti-acne wash.
posted by Alterscape at 3:15 PM on January 7, 2009

Man, I beg my husband to let me get at his. And he always says no. What a meanie.
posted by missjenny at 3:18 PM on January 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yeah, we're primates, and this involves what I often call "monkey moods." This is that weird craving people get when they want to pick, pluck, preen, style other humans they care about. She's your wife, and oddly enough, might take a weird secret joy in getting rid of that thing for you. Buy one of those metal pimple popper things (it's a dreamy little tool that consists of a small convex spoon shape with a hole in the center. It presses against your skin and pushes the icky part out through the hole. $2 of satisfaction right there.)
posted by iamkimiam at 3:22 PM on January 7, 2009

I'm with the others in thinking your wife might enjoy it. You could buy her one of these to help.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:27 PM on January 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Most of my friends take a ridiculous amount of joy in taking care of this kind of thing for the men in their lives. And each other. Probably, she will at least not care if you ask her to do it and at best she will be totally thrilled.
posted by Medieval Maven at 3:35 PM on January 7, 2009

I'm seriously kind of freaked out that people 1) expect this of their spouses and 2) enjoy it.

You could ask your wife, but not all partners are enthusiastic groomers, just so you know.

Me? I'd get a new dermatologist and a back facial. Hope this helps!
posted by Space Kitty at 4:10 PM on January 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I could get licensed in extracting other people's blackheads I would most definitely turn it into a career. It's almost terrifying how much fun it is.

I know this doesn't help you, but I really don't think your wife will think badly of you if you ask her to help you out.
posted by ttyn at 4:42 PM on January 7, 2009 [4 favorites]

I'll do it! Memail me.

Heh. If your wife really, really won't do it, get a back facial with extraction as the others have said.
posted by goo at 4:42 PM on January 7, 2009

Oh, I just remembered that they have blackhead squeezers/poppers/whatever they are called in Sephora. Maybe it would work for spots you can't reach.
posted by ttyn at 4:45 PM on January 7, 2009

I thought that is why people got married, so they would have someone to help them with embarrassing/gross things.
posted by Silvertree at 4:51 PM on January 7, 2009 [3 favorites]

Boy, people here really like Sephora.

I once had a boyfriend with very bad back acne that he was very self-conscious about. A few months after we started seeing each other, I convinced him to let me clean out his back. It took a while. He seemed appreciative enough, but a few weeks later, he left me for someone else. I don't know, maybe it was just a coincidence, but then again, he was really self-conscious about his skin.

So while the odds are pretty good that your wife is fine with dealing with your imperfect skin, if you're self-conscious about even a single stubborn blackhead, why not go to a pro? Get one back facial, get it cleaned up, and if it ever comes back, you can decide then whether you want to pay a pro again, or just ask your wife. Maybe you'll have found the whole experience relaxing and not at all gross. And maybe you'll have learned enough from your one visit that you can give each other back facials. I hear that you can get all kinds of supplies at Sephora.
posted by rosebuddy at 5:01 PM on January 7, 2009

OK, so who do you go to to get this done?

My wife, but she doesn't make house calls.

Seriously, ask your wife. Mine is fascinated by such things. Doesn't like popping her own pimples, but likes to pop mine... or pick at my stray eyelashes, ear hair, etc.
posted by terrapin at 5:05 PM on January 7, 2009

I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round, and I'm very ok with that, but I was amazed at how accepting, ney, excited some people are about extracting a mates blackheads! For both my wife and I, with whom I discussed it briefly, it is still yucky. Thanks for the idea(s) of the back facial with extraction, though. That will work for me, and I (and my wife) will be very happy to pay the fee.
posted by Rad_Boy at 5:21 PM on January 7, 2009

This is why I had kids....they both LOVE to squeeze pimples and dig at splinters and stuff. Me, I think it's gross, and if my husband wanted me to squeeze a blackhead, I would call my daughter over. I'm really squeamish and would probably almost puke.
posted by iconomy at 5:46 PM on January 7, 2009

I'd like to pass along that you should probably not try using one of the Sephora extraction tools on things that are hard to reach. The pointy end of the last tool recommended is extremely sharp, and I have got myself to bleed accidentally many times with it.

Also, I came very close to poking a small hole in my eyeball with it once.

You've been warned.
posted by yellowbkpk at 6:41 PM on January 7, 2009

Well, at least I know my wife is not a freak. Seems like a lot of ladies dig this: my cynical assessment is it is one of the few times when they actually get to perfect some aspect of your sorry ass. Easy to find out, tell your wife this story, if you haven't already, and when you say "he told me to get my wife to do it, can you believe that?" she'll either go ooh, can I? or Gross, get a new dermatologist! and you can act accordingly.

It's possible he was poorly communicating "hey, don't make me charge you good money to do something your wife can take care of in a couple minutes" in which case he's actually trying to be a good guy, or it could be he figures he's a real doctor and not a zit popper. I can't imagine popping a zit could possibly trigger a skin doctor's squick factor.
posted by nanojath at 9:34 PM on January 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you're planning a trip to Vegas in the near future, I'll totally do it.
posted by Jacqueline at 11:27 PM on January 7, 2009

I am irrationally giggly that there are so many people who actually enjoy doing this to/for/with their spouses. I can't even explain why. I guess I read so many AskMe questions that involve painful relationships that it's a treat to see delight in such a thing.

Yay AskMe!
posted by DWRoelands at 6:22 AM on January 8, 2009