Squeezing causes visible skin damage, especially if it’s a daily occurrence. It can also stretch the elastic around the pores, which makes them wider and larger, and they won’t bounce back into shape. Ultimately, your pores will look larger and become increasingly more visible. Squeezing or picking can also cause inflammation, hyperpigmentation and scarring. It may even create more blackheads, since your hands can introduce bacteria, oil and dirt into your pores. The bottom line: don’t squeeze. Use Clinique’s gentle Blackhead Extractor to remove blackheads.