The first rule of thumb to extracting your blackheads "with caution and care," as Marino puts it, is to step away from the pore extraction tool. "Put down the knife — leave digging devices to the professionals to avoid potential permanent scarring or pigmentation issues and injury," she said. "Use clean fingers only."
Instead, wrap your finger in tissue or cotton pads, and then gently (!) pinch the skin together and press upward. Press only in the direction you want to congestion to go (if you're pressing down onto the skin "you're making things worse, and potentially spreading bacteria under the skin").
You'll also want to leave aggravated or super stubborn acne alone. "Hard, angry, or underground is no-go."