Pimples can appear at the most inconvenient times. The last thing you want is to wake up the morning of an important job interview or to be getting ready for a date only to find pimples staring right back at you in the mirror. Sure, everyone says that popping pimples is bad for your skin, but just this once can’t hurt, right? Besides, how is it that popping pimples is bad for your skin when doing so seems to instantly get rid of the pus? Doesn’t it seem like popping pimples is a good thing, the quick and easy way to get rid of those annoying blemishes?
Unfortunate as it is, especially for those of you who enjoy popping pimples, yes, it really is bad for your skin, and yes, it really can hurt you in the long run. Here’s what you need to know about why popping pimples is bad for your skin and what you should do the next time an annoying intruder appears on your face.
Why Is Popping Pimples Bad For Your Skin?
Tempting as popping pimples can be, especially if you have a whitehead, doing so can actually cause more skin problems. We get it – popping pimples seems like it solves the problem instantly while if you waited for it to go away on its own, it would take anywhere from 3-7 entire days. However, rather than serving as a quick and easy solution to your pimple problem, you could end up increasing redness and infection and even causing scarring.
This is because you’re interfering with your body’s natural healing process and can end up pushing the infection deeper into your skin and spreading bacteria. Pimples occur when excess oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells get trapped inside your pores. This causes them to swell. When you squeeze a pimple in order to pop it, you can end up forcing that excess oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells deeper into your follicle. If said follicle wall ruptures, then all of that infection ends up spilling into your skin, which can cause even more infection than there was before.
Have you ever popped a pimple and then noticed within a few hours that the spot where it was is redder and more inflamed than it was before? Perhaps you’ve noticed more pimples forming around the general area where the initial one that you popped was? This is because of the break in your skin’s structure and increased inflammation that resulted from the initial popping.
Not only is popping pimples bad for your skin because it can cause further infection and lead to the formation of even more pimples, but it can also cause your skin to scar or develop dark marks. Every time you pop a pimple, you risk the chance of losing tissue and getting acne scars.
So, in summary, popping pimples is bad for your skin because it can lead to:
- Permanent acne scars
- Skin discoloration
- Worsened, more noticeable acne
- More painful acne (especially if you tried to pop cystic acne – ouch!)
- Infection
Is It Ever Safe To Pop A Pimple?
If you go to a dermatologist to have them professionally pop or inject your pimple in a sterile environment with professional tools, then yes – it can indeed be safe to pop a pimple. Dermatologists have the knowledge, experience, and equipment necessary to be able to pop a pimple or inject it so that it goes away without causing extensive damage to your skin.
For yourself, though? Popping a pimple every once in a while won’t kill you – everyone’s done it. However, no, it is never a good idea to try to pop a pimple yourself, as it can worsen the problem and lead to even more skin issues, such as the acne scarring we mentioned earlier. Hence all the warnings about why popping pimples is bad for your skin.
What To Do Instead Of Popping A Pimple
So, popping pimples is bad for your skin. But is there anything you can do yourself in order to diminish their appearance or make them go away faster? You’ll be relieved to hear that yes, there are in fact things you can do to calm pimples down. We know how aggravating it can be to wait out the 3-7 days it can take for pimples to go away on their own, however, a little patience pays off in the long run, because you don’t have to worry about all the ways in which popping pimples is bad for your skin – like even more pimples when you initially only had the one.
Instead of popping that pimple, we recommend:
- Apply a warm or cold compress
- Apply an acne spot treatment
- Use non-comedogenic products in your skincare and makeup routine
- Consult with your dermatologist
Allen-Taintor Dermatology is here to help with your acne. We understand that even though most people know that popping pimples is bad for your skin, it’s still so tempting. We offer professional acne treatments that can get your acne under control. Whether you have pimples that won’t go away, acne scarring, or just want help getting your acne under control and to know what you should do if you get pimples, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our acne treatments.