Do dermatologists really believe we’ll stop popping our pimples?
In a perfect world no one would ever squeeze a pimple and we’d all walk around with puss-volcanoes poking out of our faces, just waiting to erupt during our next casual conversation. Right? Yea, I don’t think so either. Maybe it is best not to mess with your pimples and to let them go away on their own, but what is best for our skin isn’t always best for our social lives. The truth is that we’re still going to squeeze and pop pimples regardless of the advice of well-intentioned dermatologists. This being true, you might as well learn how to do it right.
Getting rid of whiteheads
A whitehead is a pimple that has developed a thin, white tip — indicating that it is almost ready to rupture and drain. To properly drain these you will need a sterile pin or needle, clean tissue, and some freshly washed hands. You can sterilize your pin or needle under the flame of a lighter or in rubbing alcohol. Gently pierce the tip of the whitehead and then apply gentile pressure to the skin around the pimple — pressing down and towards the pimple. The idea is to apply the pressure from underneath it and force the puss out through the now-open hole. If it doesn’t seem like it drained completely, apply a warm, moist compress and wait a few hours before trying again. Squeezing too hard can cause the pimple to burst underneath the skin — leading to many more, smaller pimples. Wash both your face and hands afterwards.
Getting rid of blackheads
Blackheads are freshly blocked pores. When a pore gets blocked by dirt and oil, the blockage itself turns black, creating the appearance of a blackhead. These aren’t pimples yet, but can turn into them if they are allowed to remain clogged. The best way to get rid of a blackhead is to wash and exfoliate your face regularly. If the blackhead seems to be building some pressure underneath the surface, you can apply some gentile pressure around the blackhead to try and force out the blockage prior to washing. If washing and exfoliating isn’t enough, try a short steam bath, or hot towel over your face to soften up the skin and open your pores. Aerobic exercise can also help flush your pores and clear up blackheads.
Mark Gebbia shares more ideas about squeezing pimples at HowToGetRidOfStuff.com; the place to go when you need to get rid of anything.
Tags: acne, blackhead, oil, pimple, Skin, whitehead
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