Dear reader, the video is a little lower. Acne also known as acne vulgaris, is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles.
When you look in the mirror and a pimplestares right back at you, you’re going to get the urge. You want to squeeze it. You really want to squeeze it. Especially since pimples show up at the worst times.
Although there’s never a good time to get a zit, they always seem to make their appearance right before a party, a special date, or a big family reunion.
So is it really that bad to pop a pimple?
What’s the Big Deal?
Think of a pimple as a little sack that holds oil, debris, and acne bacteria, says dermatologistZakiya Rice, MD, an assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
“What we call the pustule is actually keeping the bacteria nice and contained,” she says. When you puncture the pimple’s outer skin, the gunk oozes out. If the bacteria in that gunk splatters and lands inside other pores, it can lead to more pimples.
There’s another risk. Poke, pick, prick, and prod a pimple, and you can force the debris and bacteria even deeper into your skin. You may also introduce new kinds of bacteria from your finger into the zit. That can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollenand infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring.
“It’s best to let a pimple run through its life span,” Rice says.
Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
How Pros Pop Pimples
Dermatologists and well-trained estheticians know how to do it safely. They wear gloves and lance a pimple with a sterile needle, then remove the contents with an instrument called a comedone extractor.
So, your best bet is to leave popping a pimple to the pros.
