The Hamlet-esque question we all contemplate in the bathroom mirror.
An unexpected whopper just showed up on your face. Like a mosquito bite or scab, you want to touch it. You want to pick at it. You really, really want to pop it. But should you? While most skin care professionals would prefer you leave it alone, the truth is that YES, you can – but only if your blemish is white.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you’re a persistent pimple popper.
First, make sure your hands are clean. (I always keep either alcohol wipes or alcohol hand sanitizer with me in my car or bag. Avoid scented or doctored-up hand sanitizer (the real goopy stuff; the goal is to sterilize, not scent-ivize). There are too many fillers and added ingredients in your run-of-the-mill hand sanitizer beyond sterilizing agents like isopropyl alcohol to further irritate your skin.
Next, cleanse the skin you’re going to be touching before popping. If you have to use your fingers, fine, but ideally, you’ll either use a sterilized blemished tool or two Q-tips to gently press on either side of the blemish (if you see blood or any liquid or feel pain, stop pressing)
Then, pop the head. Dab what comes out with a tissue. Bacteria can easily spread from a ruptured blemish to other areas of the face, creating more acne.
Lastly, cleanse your skin immediately and avoid touching other parts of the face, then use an antibiotic spot treatment. We recommend Murad Acne Spot Fast Fix or Glycone Acne Tinted Spot Treatment. After that, hands off!
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