For pimple poppers everywhere, I have some news: there is a right and wrong way to pop your zits. If done incorrectly, it can be detrimental for the skin, but if done safely it can actually speed up your skin’s renewal process. So today, we’re here to teach you the right way to safely pop and treat that nasty breakout!
The benefits
As with anything in life, there are benefits and drawbacks to this removal process. If done safely, as we will explain below, your breakouts can actually heal faster by draining the wound of pus. On an aesthetic level, the removal of breakouts will not only lessen the appearance of a raised bump, but also be easier to cover. Without excessive swelling, an extraction will flatten the breakout and allow it to better blend into the rest of your skin.
The cons
BUT! If you try to pop your zit when it isn’t, it can cause even more damage and make it way worse than it originally was! When you poke at the pimple, you can actually push the bacteria further into the pore, which creates a deeper infection. If your hands or tools are not clean, you can also introduce new bacteria into the skin that can prolong the breakout.
The popping process is also risky because you can easily spread the infection. When you rupture a pore that holds oil, debris, and bacteria, it can easily transfer to other pores, which produces more zits. This irritation not only injures the skin, but also can lead to long-term discoloration and scars.
How do you know if a zit can be popped?
The safest type of acne to extract at home are ones that have collected a minimal amount of pus and are located very close to the surface of the skin. These pimples include small whiteheads, blackheads, and pustules.
Whiteheads are formed when dead skin cells or bacteria are trapped in your pores. Blackheads are also caused by blocked pores like whiteheads, but instead the pore remains open which creates the dark appearance as the sebum has oxidized. While pustules appear similar to whiteheads, they are small bumps that contain pus or fluid and are usually surrounded by red, inflamed skin.
What to avoid?
NEVER touch deep cysts. Due to the depth of the lesion, these are better left to the professionals. These breakouts are very deep, red, and usually sit beneath the skin. This means that any irritation of the lesion will likely lead to destruction to nearby skin, as well as extend the time it takes to heal.
So now for the good part, how do I pop a pimple the right way?
When to do it?
Do it at night! It’s smart to pop at night to allow your skin the time to recover from potential inflammation. Coupled with a nighttime skin routine, your skin has the best chance at success if it’s cleaned, prepped, and left untouched overnight. Even better, pop your pimple after a shower. The skin is freshly cleaned, and the additional heat will help loosen and soften the skin.
How to do it?
1. Prep the skin
First, remove all makeup and wash your skin with your usual cleanser. Carefully press a warm (not hot!) washcloth onto the area for about two minutes to soften the skin. If you just got out of the shower, this step is not necessary!
2. Press the skin
Gently pull the nearby skin away from the pimple and apply light pressure. Don’t press in the center of the breakout, the center should drain out easily. If it doesn’t, this is a sign that you’re breakout is not ready! At this point, leave it alone to prevent further damage or scars.
3. Wrap your fingers, and press
Cover the ends of your pointer fingers with a clean tissue and apply pressure to the sides of the pimple. Gently squeeze and press. While a little bit of blood and clear liquid is normal, if you’re struggling to remove the fluid inside, it’s not ready! At this point stop and try again the next day.
4. After popping, wipe down the area with our toners on a cotton pad
Both of our toners are antibacterial and will help clean up the zit and affected area after you pop it! Spray the toners onto a cotton pad, and gently pad over the wound. Not only will it help clean the area, but it’ll also help deliver antioxidants and important nutrients back into your skin. Don’t be alarmed if you are using the Raspberry Vinegar Toner and it has a slight sting over your popped zit, that’s normal as it is full of acetic acid.
5. After toning, do a chlorophyll face mask
After cleaning the area, feel free to do a full face mask! Our Chlorophyll Mask can help further purify the breakout area, and soothe any inflammation. It’ll also make sure that the infected area doesn’t spread. Calming inflammation is an important step that will make sure your skin is on its way to fully healing.
6. After the wound has closed, apply a spot treatment
Only after the wound has closed, you may apply our Turmeric Spot Treatment. This spot treatment will help heal any hyperpigmentation associated with the zit, while also reducing inflammation. The curcumin in turmeric root helps to reduce excess melanin, which is what causes the darker pigment. Apply our spot treatment for at least 20 minutes before removing with a cotton pad sprayed with our toner.
7. Apply moisturizer!
Adding back nourishing oils to your skin will be important for healing the skin. While any of our moisturizers will do the job, our Organic Facial Repair Serum, which is packed with rosehip oil, is especially helpful for reducing texture and tone issues.
