It's tempting, but popping or squeezing a pimple won't necessarily get rid of the problem. Squeezing can push bacteria and pus deeper into the skin, which might cause more swelling and redness. Squeezing also can lead to scabs and might leave you with permanent pits or scars.
So... scarring can happen whether you pick at your acne or not, but here's why you should still avoid the urge to pop. "Inflammation-related acne scarring aside, aggressively pinching or squeezing a pimple or whitehead just makes the underlying inflammation worse. This, in turn, makes scarring even more likely.
"Popping pimples doesn't cause scarring," Mark Karolak, D.O., a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Reflections Center for Skin and Body, tells SELF. "If it's just a whitehead and blackhead on the surface, it can be popped without creating any scarring."
While waiting is never fun, it's worth it when it comes to pimple-popping. Basically, what happens if you don't pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days. It may happen that you wake up one morning and notice the pimple is gone. Or you may notice the pimple draining.
It's tempting, but popping or squeezing a pimple won't necessarily get rid of the problem. Squeezing can push bacteria and pus deeper into the skin, which might cause more swelling and redness. Squeezing also can lead to scabs and might leave you with permanent pits or scars.
1. Don't poke too early. Wait until your pimple has a firm white head. That means the pus is close to the surface and ready to be drained.
If you have a red or brownish mark on your face that you got from a bad zit, it should eventually fade. However, it may take 12 months or longer. If you're upset about acne marks, talk to your doctor, who might have advice on what you can do.
Acne scars do not go away entirely on their own. Depressed acne scars often become more noticeable with age as skin loses collagen. However, there are a variety of treatments that can make acne scars less noticeable. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or redness may lighten on its own within several months.
Acne scars are the result of inflammation of acne blemishes. The acne pore swells and a breakdown occurs in the wall of the pore. Some acne blemishes are small and the scars created are shallow and heal quickly. Sometimes the contents of blemishes spill into the surrounding tissue and cause deeper scars.
Some medicated creams, such as those containing azelaic acid or hydroxyl acids, might help too. Soft tissue fillers. Injecting collagen, fat or other substances under the skin can plump the skin over indented scars. The goal is to make the scars less noticeable.
They often look like small oval holes, similar to a chicken pox scar. Because of these characteristics they are the most difficult acne scars to treat. As the deeper under the skin they go the harder it is to heal them.
In general, most acne scars will not go away by themselves or even with at-home treatments with chemical exfoliants like lactic or glycolic acid. For true acne scar removal, you will need acne scars treatments to achieve even-toned skin with a smooth texture.
Blind pimples are too far below the skin to pop. Trying will only irritate them further, and may cause infection or scarring. Instead of popping, try to bring the pimple to a head so it can exit the skin via other treatment methods. Use a product containing benzoyl peroxide.
If you're bleeding, she says to “gently blot the area with a clean tissue or cotton pad and clean the area with alcohol.” Once the blood has stopped, she advises applying a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as mentioned above.
'You should absolutely not squeeze blackheads. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin,' she says. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin.
Popping too early won't be effective and can just cause you pain and scarring. Wash your hands thoroughly. You don't want to introduce any extra bacteria to your skin. Apply over-the-counter medication such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to your blemish.
Popping pimples releases dopamine
A lot of people find popping pimples satisfying. After feeling and hearing that “pop”, some people get an immediate sensation of pleasure and relief. That's because dopamine — the happy-hormone — is released when you feel a sense of accomplishment.
When treated, pus-filled pimples will start to dissipate on their own. You may notice the pus disappears first, then the redness and overall acne lesions lessen. Above all else, you must resist the urge to pop or squeeze out the pus. Picking at acne can cause the inflammation to worsen.
Retinol: This can unclog pores and fade dark spots. You'll find benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or retinol in acne products that you can buy without a prescription. Retinol is a type of retinoid. Another retinoid that may be helpful is adapalene gel 0.1%.
By reducing the inflammation of your pimples, you're directly reducing the size. In theory, gradually reducing the size of your pimple with ice can eventually make it go away entirely. When used on inflammatory acne, ice also has the potential to decrease redness, thereby making your pimples less noticeable.
There are two basic types of scar depending on whether there is a net loss or gain of collagen (atrophic and hypertrophic scars). Eighty to ninety percent of people with acne scars have scars associated with a loss of collagen (atrophic scars) compared to a minority who show hypertrophic scars and keloids.
Of the 80% of people under the age of 30 with acne, 20% of them will scar. Whether or not you fall into this category depends on several factors, many of which are unavoidable: Genetics: Some people are more prone to scarring than others. Not only from acne, but from all types of skin damage.