Popping and picking at blackheads can be tempting, but it’s probably not worth it. Not only can you cause damage to your skin, but also, blackheads aren’t as harmful to your skin as you might think.

“It is very tempting to squeeze blackheads. Blackheads are dilated pores filled with keratin, or dead skin cells,” Anna Guanche, board-certified dermatologist and beauty expert, told INSIDER. “When the cells dry at the top and are exposed to oxygen, they oxidize, turning black.”

Here’s why it’s time to stop messing with your blackheads, according to dermatologists and skin-care experts.

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