Blemishes. We all get them and even though we’re told by our parents, and dermatologists, to never pop pimples, we still do. Because looking at a giant white head in the middle of our face isn’t fun and it can completely ruin our confidence. So, we pop. Who can blame us?
If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right. Here are the “safest” ways to pop away your blemishes so you avoid causing severe acne scars or problems down the road:
Take A Close Look
The only kind of bump that can be popped is a “pustule-type blemish.” Which basically means a whitehead. If you don’t see that little white circle in the middle of your pimple, it’s not ready to be popped. Don’t touch it! If you do touch it, you’ll only irritate it and probably make it last longer on your face. Trust me, you don’t want that!
Act Fast
You look at your face every day, which means you notice everything! As I said, you shouldn’t pop a pimple unless it’s a whitehead. But you can use a spot corrector/drying lotion which should hopefully stop the bump from forming into a whitehead. If you don’t have a drying lotion try an ice cube. Placing an ice cube on your bump for a few minutes, a couple times a day will stop the bump from becoming inflamed.
Clean Your Hands & Your Skin
This should go without saying but it’s important to make sure your hands are clean. You’re about to touch your face, you shouldn’t touch your face with dirty hands! And you shouldn’t pop a pimple on dirty skin. Cleanse your skin and wash your hands thoroughly before you do anything to that annoying little blemish. That’ll decrease your chances of infection and hurt your pimple.
Use Heat
Before you pop your pimple, consider using heat to help bring the blemish to the surface so that it pops even easier. Warm up a cup of water and then dip a cotton ball into it. Dab the cotton ball onto your pimple so your pores can open up and the blockage that exists can be drawn out.
Don’t Force A Pop
When a pimple is meant to pop, it’ll pop! If you’re pushing and pushing on the pimple and nothing’s happening, that doesn’t mean you should keep pushing even harder. That means you should stop immediately and maybe use an ice cube on your skin to alleviate the pressure you just put on your bump. A pimple doesn’t need to be worked at in order for it to pop. It’ll pop with just a tiny squeeze if it’s actually ready. Trust me.
Consider Using A Q-Tip
I mentioned above how you want to avoid using too much pressure when you’re trying to pop your pimple. Pressing too hard can cause scars. A great way to make sure you’re applying minimal pressure is to use a Q-tip. Simply wet the q-tip and then roll it over your pimple very gently. That will provide enough pressure to pop your blemish if your blemish is ready to be popped. If nothing happens, it’s not quite time so leave your pimple alone!
Use Antibacterial
Whether you successfully popped your pimple or not, that sucker is probably swollen and inflamed. Help soothe your pimple with an ice cube (clearly, ice cubes are a necessity for this pimple popping process) and maybe an anti-bacterial. Spot treatments/drying lotions can work, but so can Apple Cider Vinegar. ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) kills bacteria, removes dirt, and gets rid of dead skin cells. Needless to say, it’s a great product to have in your medicine cabinet.
Apply A Moisturizer
Moisturizer is so important, especially if your skin is a little on the dryer side. After you’ve finished popping and cleaning your pimple apply some moisturizer on your entire face. This will open your pores, even more, improve the texture of your skin, and keep your skin moist. Which will hopefully alleviate any scarring from popping up in the future!
Purchase A Dark Spot Corrector
The sad truth is that even if you pop your pimple correctly, scarring can be inevitable. That’s why so many dermatologists and skin experts tell you not to play with your bumps. But we’re not perfect people, so we pop. No one expects anything different which is why dark spot correctors exist. They’re perfect for people who have acne scars that cause their skin to look uneven. A dark spot corrector will help fade those acne scars so you can always be confident with your skin.
Or Maybe A Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C is similar to a dark spot corrector but it’s a little more natural. Vitamin C serum works as a natural antioxidant. It’ll strengthen your skin while also repairing any damage on the surface; whether that damage is from acne scars, the sun, etc. Rejuvenate your skin with Vitamin C — even if you don’t have acne or the occasional blemish, you’ll still enjoy the results!