Popping pimples is a good or bad idea

“To press or not to press», — this almost Shakespearean question, probably, has been and is being put by everyone when she sees a pimple with a swollen, purulent head. My hands are itching to remove it from my face.

Opinions on this issue differ: some believe that the inflammatory element needs to be squeezed out so that the infection does not remain inside, while others, on the contrary, tend to wait – what if you do it even worse? How to be and what to do, told Alexander Prokofiev, medical expert of La Roche-Posay brand, dermatovenereologist.

Press or not

Few people know, but even the presence of a purulent head does not mean that the pimple is ripe and ready to “break free”. Such inflammatory elements, as a rule, do not come out, it is worth putting pressure on them, or they “give away” only a little bit of the content.

As a result, squeezing out such an immature pimple, you will get the opposite effect. The infection will not come to the surface, but will go inside and spread through the bloodstream, and tomorrow, in place of one comedone, several more of its brothers will ripen.

So, you can squeeze out only that inflammatory element that lends itself immediately. The purulent head should instantly shoot as soon as you start to press and come to the surface along with the blood. Then we can assume that the time is completely cleared.

How to pop a pimple

Surely, you have seen mise-en-scenes when a girl crushes pimples on her boyfriend or herself in transport. So, she is completely wrong. Do not squeeze pimples with dirty hands on cleansed skin, infection is guaranteed.

You need to prepare for the procedure in fact, as for an operation. First, cleanse your skin with a cleanser and make-up remover. Steam your face, you can put a warm towel on it for this purpose (it’s enough to hold it for a couple of minutes), then wipe the “operation” area with an antiseptic.

Wear disposable rubber gloves on your hands so you don’t cut your skin (this is easy if you have long nails). Take two cotton pads in your hands, they will not allow your hands to slip, and start pressing. If the pimple doesn’t go away right away, stop.

What to do after

If the abscess has come out, immediately wipe the skin with an antiseptic, and then with a drying lotion that narrows the pores. Apply a sebum-regulating cream on top and use it if you often suffer from rashes. And best of all, sign up for a consultation with a dermatologist.