how to pop a pimple

How to ‘pop’ a pimple without spreading infection or leaving a scar

Yes. One pimple can certainly spoil our day – and have you noticed that they always pop up (sorry about that) just before our most important events? A girlfriend of mine used to draw brown eyebrow pencil over hers (back when beauty spots were all the rage); but how many can you paint on before you look like a leopard? And then there was Mum, admonishing me from the sidelines and warning of the permanent damage I was doing…

Mum was right

My mum (and dermatologists) are aghast when we take matters into our own hands – because while pimple extraction isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you do it yourself, chances are you will do more harm than good.

OK! But what if no one is there to help me?

Right. So if mum is busy watching Netflix, your dermatologist is on vacation and Prana is closed for the day (text me for an early morning appointment!) – here’s what you should do:

Only pop the pimple if it’s ready (that’s when a whitehead has formed and is relatively easy to remove without causing infection or scarring). Make sure to wash your hands – we want to avoid spreading bacteria and oils onto the skin. Begin by gently exfoliating the skin surrounding the pimple to soften it. Now, take two ear buds dipped in anti-ageing toner which has a skin repair serum so that it does not damage the skin (PS. if you don’t have this serum to hand I can help). Wipe over and around the face of the pimple, gently encouraging the skin to open up and release the built up pus.

Gentle is good. Temptation is your enemy

It’s tempting at this point to add some pressure I know – but resist forcing it or you will inflame the pimple, rupture the skin and add to the problem… even if you successfully remove the head of the pimple you can easily leave a permanent mark in its place. You might also create a nasty infection.

I have better access, better equipment, better knowledge

You can try it yourself, but experience tells me that it almost always doesn’t turn out well. So please call or text me first. I promise you’ll be relieved of this ‘nasty’ in a safe and caring environment. Saroj.

You may also be interested in facial extractions.

Author: Saroj Velho

  • BA (Hons.) Psychology: University of Delhi
  • Dip. Beauty Therapy: Australasian Academy of Wellness Therapies
  • Full Professional Member: Assoc. Professional Aestheticians Australia

Read more about Saroj

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