Contrary to what pimple popping videos may show, squeezing your skin to extract the contents of a pimple — a mixture of oil, dead skin and bacteria — can cause scarring and infection. It can also worsen inflammation, making the pimple larger, more red and more painful.
Don't try to pop or drain an infected pimple. Doing so can make it worse or spread the infection. You should: Clean the area: It's very important to keep the wound clean.
Because popping isn't the way to go, patience is the key. Your pimple will disappear on its own, and by leaving it alone you're less likely to be left with any reminders that it was there. To dry a pimple up faster, apply 5% benzoyl peroxide gel or cream once or twice a day.
Most of the time, blood-filled pimples will heal on their own if they are left alone. If someone squeezes the pimple before it heals, they may spread bacteria to other parts of the face and body. It is essential to keep the area around the pimple clean and wash twice daily, using a gentle cleanser or soap and water.
It can happen when you pop, squeeze, scratch or over-exfoliate a pimple, breaking the surrounding blood vessels. If you have frequent blood-filled pimples or other acne problems, talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist. Several remedies are available over the counter and by prescription.
Not only that, popping your pimples can keep them around for longer. “True acne pimples do not need to be 'popped' and will heal faster if they are left alone,” she adds. There's one exception to the rule: While you shouldn't try to burst your blemishes, a dermatologist may help.
Your body can gradually break down pus and reabsorb its components. That's why small accumulations of pus (like in a pimple) often don't need treatment.
Avoid picking or squeezing the popped breakout to let your skin heal naturally. If you notice any signs of potential infection like redness, increased pain, pus, or inflammation surrounding the blemish, contact a healthcare professional immediately.
“Not really”, says Lauren Taglia, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine. “But if you must pop, wait until the pimple has been around a few days and has developed a white head, indicating there is pus near the surface. Avoid popping new pimples or those that are red or sore,” she advises.
Besides being unlikely to work, toothpaste will probably burn and irritate your skin—especially your face. Some people develop a chemical burn or a rash called contact dermatitis after applying toothpaste on a pimple. This can make your skin feel sore and your pimple look worse.
It's best to leave pimples alone to heal. Attempting to pop one may prolong your breakout and lead to scarring and infection. If you are going to go ahead and pop a pimple, take steps to minimize the risk of skin damage and a worsened infection.
Pustules: These are pus-filled pimples that look like whiteheads surrounded by discolored rings. Picking or scratching your pustules can cause scarring. Cysts: These are pimples filled with a thick, yellow or white fluid composed of dead white blood cells, small pieces of tissue and bacteria (pus).
Why Do They Come Back? Typically, patients who have pimples that come back in the same spot over and over again are suffering from an underlying problem with bacteria in the skin. When you have too much bacteria in one area, and you aren't treating it, you won't ever fully get rid of the pimple.
This is also where the problem arises, because the bag becomes very full (crowded) and at some point the bag will burst. So the pimple simply explodes by itself, because of the huge pressure inside the pimple. This pressure explosion results in damaged and scared skin.
Pus is a natural part of the healing process for wounds. It is a sign that a wound is infected but it is also a sign that your body is trying to fight the infection and heal the injury. Once an infection has started, your immune system begins trying to fight it off.
Can I pop a blind pimple? Never try to pop or squeeze a blind pimple. Doing so pushes the oil and bacteria deeper, causing more inflammation and increasing the risk of infection.
The other half of the pus gets sucked inside since you're putting pressure when you release. It just stays there. You can't get it out anymore because it's inflamed and irritated. That's why pimples come back on the same spot, sometimes bigger than the one before it.”
Apply an ointment
A simple bland ointment like Aquaphor or Vaseline works. But if it's more inflamed or pus comes out, you may want to use an OTC antibiotic ointment like Neosporin to prevent infection.
The redness, swelling, and inflammation cause the pain. The body knows that the dead skin, oil, and bacteria are supposed to be in the hair follicle (which is outside the skin). So, as your body tries to push it out, you end up with more sensitivity in the area.
These underground cysts are deep, painful and rarely come to the surface, leaving the skin inflamed, red, and sometimes feeling swollen. If you suffer from cystic acne, you'll know the 'pimple heartbeat' (a.k.a. a deep throbbing or pulsing sensation under the skin) for which cystic acne is infamous.
Hard pimples are the result of dead skin cells or bacteria getting under the skin. Hard pimples are deep, often large, and occasionally pus-filled.