Why popping pimples is bad

These growths form due to hormonal changes, the use of hormonal birth control, or from excessive oils in the skin. At Dermatology Center of Northwest Houston , our team of experienced dermatologists offer treatment options for recurrent pimples and mild to severe acne. She also suggests that you avoid popping pimples. Pimples are a side effect of acne. They develop on your skin when your oil glands sebaceous glands become clogged with dead skin cells and oils. This causes areas of your skin anywhere on your body to swell up and fill with pus.

There are different types of pimples that range in severity and can include:. Whiteheads are small pimples that form under your skin and appear as small, flesh-colored bumps. Blackheads are visible on the surface of your skin and appear black in color due to oxidation of your skin pigments melanin. Papules are small, solid bumps that rise up from your skin and are usually pink in color.

Pustules are pimples that fill up with pus and are visible on the surface of your skin. These bumps are usually red with noticeable pus showing on the top.

Nodules are larger than papules and can embed deeply into your skin, causing pain. If your pimple contains infected pus, popping a pimple can spread bacteria into other pore and hair follicles and create a bigger acne outbreak. This can clog your pores even more, make acne more noticeable, or trigger inflammation under your skin. With all that being said, some people are unable to resist the temptation of popping a pimple as soon as they see a whitehead appear.

If you are going to pop a pimple once in a while, follow these steps. The technique for popping a pimple safely differs slightly depending on which type of blemish you have. Over-the-counter topical medication such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can be applied to your blackhead to loosen the plug before you try to pop it. Wash your hands thoroughly, then apply pressure to both sides of the clogged pore using your fingers. With a little pressure, the blackhead should pop out.

Sterilize a needle with alcohol and gently prick the skin where your pore is clogged. Then extract the whitehead the same way you would a blackhead. After using an over-the-counter astringent or acne medication, and washing your hands thoroughly, apply pressure to both sides of the clogged pore to extract the plug. Pustules are deep underneath the layers of your skin and are difficult to extract. Over-the-counter treatments might also work. Find over-the-counter acne medications and tea tree oil online.

There are lots of things you can do to prevent future breakouts. Here are a few:. Searching for antibacterial soap? Look no further! If you have frequent outbreaks, painful cystic acne, or acne that never seems to go away, you should see your doctor.

Acne that is leaving scars on your skin, does not go away with over-the-counter remedies, or makes you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious, should be treated by a dermatologist.

They may prescribe a topical or oral treatment, an in-office therapy, dietary or lifestyle changes, or a combination of all, depending on the severity of your acne.

The risk of infection, scarring, and delaying healing is much higher when you take matters into your own hands. If you do occasionally feel like you have to treat a pimple by popping it, make sure you follow the proper technique.

The most serious form of a blemish, acne cysts are large and painfully inflamed lesions. Cysts must be treated by a physician. Popping pimples can have many longer-term effects than a swollen spot and a scab: it's a surefire way to increase your chances of developing acne scars. Every time your skin is damaged, there's a possibility that, as the skin heals, tissue will be lost. That's how you get depressed or pitted acne scars.

The greater the damage done to the skin, the greater the chance of tissue loss. Even if depressed scars don't develop, dark marks can. These dark spots on the skin, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation , are caused by inflammation.

Popping a pimple causes inflammation, so you're more likely to see post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation once a pimple heals. Picking at your blemishes can spread infection and, ultimately, worsen your acne. Clearly, a hands-off policy is the best choice when it comes to your skin. But, honestly, zits are annoying enough that we just want to get rid of them fast. There are safer ways to get rid of individual pimples.

First, try over-the-counter acne spot treatments. These products are dabbed on existing pimples to help dry them out and heal them quickly. These work best for relatively minor pimples, though. If you have a really big pimple that won't go away , you may need to see a dermatologist for help. Spot treatments are unlikely to be much help with these more severe blemishes.

Your best bet, always, is to leave the zit alone to heal. But, if you just have to squeeze it, at least extract the blemish safely. Don't use your fingernails or another hard object, don't force the zit to drain, and never squeeze a deep pimple or one that hasn't come to a white or yellow "head. We all have, at one point or another, popped a pimple even knowing we shouldn't. Occasionally squeezing a blemish, while not great for your skin, is normal.

But when squeezing pimples, popping zits, or picking at the skin becomes a compulsion, it's time to look a little deeper. You may have a form of acne called acne excoriee also known as excoriated acne.

People with excoriated acne pick at their pimples, real or imagined, to the point of seriously damaging their skin. Talk with your dermatologist or physician. Of course, we all want to keep pimples from forming in the first place. The absolute best way to do that is to use an acne treatment medication every day. Over-the-counter acne products can help stop minor breakouts. But if those don't work after two or three months, or if your acne is more severe, put in a call to a dermatologist.

There are many prescription acne treatment options that will help clear your skin and make pimples a thing of the past. The word zit is another name used to describe a pimple. They usually form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.

Popping a pimple or zit can cause scarring, which is one reason why popping should be avoided. When you pop a pimple, pus and debris in the pore can be pushed down into the follicle.