Blackheads and
congested skin
Blackheads and blocked pores we treat with a HydraFacial, peels and targeted care. That empties the pores and keeps them calmer.
At the intake we look along under magnification and establish which type of congestion it is.
What we look at
The skin therapist looks at your pores under magnification and judges whether it is normal pore content or real blackheads.
The light from the side
The skin therapist assesses your skin with light falling from the side. Straight light hides irregularities; light from the side shows them.
How they are spread across your skin
If almost every pore has a grey dot in it, that is normal pore content. If they are scattered and darker, they are blackheads.
What you feel but do not see
Bumps on your forehead and jawline that you feel but cannot see are closed pores. Those ask for a different approach.
What can sit in a pore
In everyday language blocked pores, blackheads and congestion run into each other. The difference decides which treatment works.
Grey dots on your nose
sebaceous filaments- How you recognise it yourself
- Is it spread evenly across almost every pore, rather than here and there? And does gentle pressure bring out a short, light-grey thread?
- What it is
- Not a blackhead but the normal content of a working pore: sebum with some cells. Everyone has them, and they are back within weeks because they are meant to come back.
- What we do
- Here we mostly tell you what to leave alone. They can be made less visible for a while, not removed, and that difference saves people years of fighting.
This is normal skin, or it is already about acne. In the first case there is nothing to treat; in the second a different programme belongs with it.
Then it is no longer about congestion.
Regular red, painful spots that leave marks behind is acne, and that asks for a different approach and a different order from relieving pores.
What helps and what we advise against
Here the gain is more often in what you stop than in what you add. With a blocked pore, cleansing more harshly usually gives nothing.
This works
- Telling normal sebaceous filaments apart from genuinely blocked pores first
- Letting the top layer renew gradually so that full pores open up again
- Looking at what you use now, because a few common products keep the picture going
- Taking into account that oily skin should not be dried out; it then makes more oil
- Referring on to the acne programme as soon as there is structural inflammation
We advise against this
- Pore strips and suction devices. They remove sebaceous filaments that are back within weeks, and stretch the pore in the meantime
- Scrubbing daily. You take the barrier away and the skin answers with more oil
- Alcohol toners that make your skin feel tight. Dehydrated skin makes more oil, not less
- Squeezing them yourself. A closed pore becomes an inflammation that way, and an inflammation becomes a mark
- Promising that pores get smaller. They can be empty and so stand out less; their size is fixed
What we use for this
HydraFacial
€ 170Cleansing, exfoliation and hydration. In one pass, visible straight away and with no recovery time.
Medical peels
€ 140From light to strong. The strength decides how deep it goes and how much you flake.
Herbal peel
€ 150A peel of finely ground herbs, without acid. It calms the inflammation and works against bacteria.
Fotona Acne Control
On requestLaser for active acne, aimed at the inflammation and the sebaceous gland.
Acne treatment
On requestOne appointment for unsettled skin: cleansing, clearing blockages, calming. Bookable on its own.
Acne programme
€ 570A guided programme for acne: treatments at the clinic, products and check-ups at home.
What others
say about it.
These come from Salonized and were not picked by us on content: they are the reviews that mention congestion, spots or acne.
Reviews translated from Dutch.
“The stars at Diba are so friendly! I never let anyone but Diba treat my skin, and I'm rid of my long-term acne.”
BusraVisit to Diba ClinicsOver 4 years ago “I felt the therapist had taken the time to remove the blemishes. And she involved me in the process of what the steps were.”
MalikaVisit to Diba ClinicsAbout 6 years ago “Had a dermapen and carbon laser appointment yesterday. My skin already feels smooth and the spots are reducing already. Really lovely ladies too!”
JennaMicroneedlingAbout 7 years ago
Frequently asked questions
Why do blackheads on my nose always come back?
Because in most cases they are not blackheads but sebaceous filaments. Those belong in a working pore and fill up again within a few weeks. That is not a failure of your care; it is how a pore works.
Do pore strips work?
They pull something out, and that feels satisfying. What comes out is usually normal pore content, which returns, and tearing it off stretches the opening. So: a brief visible effect, no gain in the long run.
Is congested skin the same as acne?
No, and that distinction is not cosmetic. Congestion is about blockage without much inflammation; with acne the inflammation is the problem. The approach and the order differ.
Should I cleanse my skin more harshly?
Almost never. Treat oily skin harshly and you are left with dehydrated skin that makes more oil, and then after a month the picture is worse rather than better.
What does this cost?
That depends on the treatment that suits your skin, and we work that out at the consultation. The consultation costs 50 euros; if you have a treatment in the same appointment, that amount comes off again. You then hear straight away how many sessions it takes and what the total will be. Every price per treatment is published on the price page.
Book a consultation at Diba Clinics
At the skin consultation we look along under magnification. If it turns out to be largely normal pore content, you hear that, and then there is nothing to book.
Book a consultationNot sure yet? Ask your question