You are not 'meant' to pick at them. Blackheads are just the oils and dead skin cells clogging your pores. You get rid of them very quickly just by washing your face. If you're washing your face with a good cleanser and it's still not gone, then you should see a dermatologist. It means it probably won't be removed without squeezing your pores or something and you don't want to do that. They will remove it for you and you won't mess up your skin trying to do it at home. Once your pores are de-clogged, you'd just keep washing your face regularly to prevent them from coming back to that degree.