It’s confirmed!
Millions of viewers from around the world have admitted to the enjoyment of watching pimple popping videos1… no wonder TLC’s hit show “Doctor Pimple Popper” is a hit!
However, with the increase in fascination surrounding pimple popping and pimple popping videos, it does raise concerns of people taking matters into their own hands, and popping their pimples at home.
Despite hearing “Don’t pop your pimples” time and time again, let’s be honest with ourselves, we’ve all done it before!
But is it really that bad?
Below, you will learn the 5 main reasons as to why you should not be popping your pimples at home:
- Increased inflammation
- Possibility for scarring
- Increased healing time
- Doctors even avoid this method
- Infection of the Skin
1. Increased Inflammation
I know how it goes.
When you see a pimple that is “ready to be popped” it is so hard not to alleviate the gunk that is built up under your skin. But did you know that although popping your pimples can give you a sense of immediate relief, that inflammation will linger?
In fact darker, lighter, or even redness in your skin can appear after popping a pimple. This is known as post-inflammatory pigmentation, and unlike the quick satisfaction you may get from popping your pimple, post-inflammatory pigmentation can remain on your skin for weeks or months, and at times can result in specialized treatment to remove the pigmentation.
Another cause of post-inflammatory pigmentation following a pimple being popped, is that of contents of the pimple being pushed deeper into the skin, causing increased inflammation to the surrounding area.
2. Possibility for scarring
Although acne scarring isn’t only a result of pimple popping, it is a contributing factor.
As you know, when pimple popping occurs, inflammation of the surrounding skin is inevitable. This is because the inflammation alerts your body to produce more collagen to repair the damaged area. Collagen, a fibrous protein that is linked to scarring, accumulates in the inflamed area, creating what we know as scars.
3. Increased healing time
Typically speaking, acne lesions will heal anywhere between 3-7 days2. However, if you are popping or picking at your pimples, you are increasing your chances of post-inflammatory pigmentation, which as you now know, can increase healing time significantly2.
Think about it for a minute. Whenever you pop a pimple, it feels like a never ending process of inflammation, scabbing, and discolouration. Therefore, whether you suffer from blackheads, whiteheads or cystic acne, your blemishes will go away quicker if you don’t touch them.
4. Doctors even avoid pimple popping
Another reason why you should not pop your pimples is because popping a pimple in the first place, whether done so by a doctor or yourself, should never be the first option.
I know it’s hard to believe, especially if you are a Dr. Pimple popper fan, but doctors typically only use pimple popping as a tactic of removing acne following other treatment attempts3. In fact, for most cases, dermatologists and skin care physicians will prescribe treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinoid creams, antibiotics, or birth control, prior to manually extracting them.
Other techniques that are used are; skin peels, laser treatment, light treatment, and steroid injections for cases of cystic acne.
As you can see, dermatologists and skin care physicians have many options to care for your acne, and even then, they are using sterile tools! So please, next time you are tempted to purchase a pimple extraction tool off of amazon, remember that extraction isn’t a doctor’s first option, and it shouldn’t be yours!
5. Infection of the skin
Now that you know that popping pimples increases inflammation, healing time, and is not the first method that doctors lean toward when treating acne prone skin, let me top it off with one more fact that hopefully decreases your likelihood of picking at and popping your acne!
When you think of a dermatology or medical aesthetic clinic, one thing that can be noted is the cleanliness of the clinic, tools, and the way in which treatments are performed. This is because professionals in the field know the methods they must follow to ensure complete sanitization of the given procedures.
When you are popping pimples at home you risk the possibility of skin infection, as your hands and other items may not be as clean as you think.
Pimple Popping Takeaways
As you now know, leaving your acne treatment to the professionals is important for your skin. Although popping your pimples, and picking at your acne may release some of the gunk under your skin which can be satisfying to the eye, it can lead to further complications that could result in professional treatment. Side effects from DIY pimple popping such as; increased inflammation, increased healing time, possibility for scarring, and the possibility of infection of the skin can all lead to a longer and more intense treatment process.
The best way to care for your acne and/or pimple is to consult a professional for active and proactive solutions.
If you are looking to treat your acne professionally, please click here to book an online or in person consultation with award winning Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a skincare physician who provides acne treatment in vancouver.