When you are staring in the mirror, and a pimple is staring right back at you, you are going to get the urge to want to squeeze it. To really want to squeeze it. It’s tempting – don’t I know! – 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.
Why is this the Case?
That’s the next logical question on your mind. Think of a pimple as a little sack that holds oil, debris, and acne bacteria. The pustule (the medical term for pimple) is actually keeping the bacteria nice and contained. But when you puncture the pimple’s outer skin by squeezing, the pus oozes out. If the bacteria contained in that pus splatters and lands inside other pores, it can lead to more pimples.
There’s another risk. You may also introduce new kinds of bacteria from your finger into the pimple, which can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollen and infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring. But if you MUST pop a pimple, there are specific ways to go about it.
How Pros Pop Pimple
- 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.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water, soap, and a fingernail brush.
- Sterilize a straight pin with a match or lighter. Let the pin cool, then wipe it down with rubbing alcohol (methylated spirit). Swab the pimple with alcohol and pour some on your fingers, too.
- Dry your fingers and wrap them with a clean tissue.
- Position your pin. Hold the pin parallel to the surface of your skin, and gently pierce the very tip of the zit’s white center.
- Then rip the skin upward. This will cause no pain, since you are piercing the already dead skin. If you go deeper than this, it’s going to be uncomfortable, so only hit the white part of the pimple. This is also not going to cause any further damage to the healthy skin surrounding the blemish.
- Using your fingers, or a cotton swab, softly squeeze the pimple. Press around (not on) the white tip of the zit. If the pus doesn’t come out easily, the pimple isn’t ready to be popped. Stop!
- Apply more alcohol (it will sting) to the now-deflated blemish.
