Stop before you pop

So you have a pimple… and you just want to pop it.  I get it, really I do.  After all I am in the business of skincare – a professional pimple popper.  But – let me give you a few reasons why you need to stop before you pop.

Think of your pimple as an iceberg.  What you see on top is just a sign that there is more below.  Your follicle is clogged. What you have in that follicle is a combination of dead skin cells, oil, and bacteria.

Your body is responding to that by causing inflammation which pushes that unwanted junk to the surface.  And what you see is a pimple.  

You want to squeeze it.   I know the temptation.

In your head you think if I just pop it, all the junk will come out, and then it will be gone.  But – when we squeeze, our pressure is not just pushing things up and out.  In reality what you are doing is pushing some of that bacteria to rupture down into the follicle below the surface. This causes more inflammation and more swelling.  We have all done it.  I have. You have.  Let’s just take a minute and see what we can do that will actually be helpful. 

I know what you are thinking …. if you pop that zit all this junk will come come out and the swelling will be gone. You can now put some medicine on it and it will be able to “get in there better” because you have opened it.  That that is partly true. 

Put your pimple popping fingers down and let’s talk. What has actually happened is you have created a wound that now will have a longer healing time because of the trauma below the surface. This also leads to red marks or hyperpigmentation which are much harder to deal with than just a pimple.

What happens when I do an extraction as an esthetician.  

First off, I am going to cleanse you skin.  Not once, but twice.  Then I am going to analyze your skin to see what issues are going on. Then I am going to apply treatments like an enzyme mask or clay mask that is designed to clear away dead skin cells and draw out that junk.  I apply heat and steam which softens  and preps the skin.  Then if I see that you have a pimple that is ready to be extracted without trauma to the skin, I will use a clean and sterilized extraction tool and use gentle controlled pressure.  After this I will apply a serum that is target towards acne.  One of my favorites is the Beta Acid by Le Mieux.  It has arnica which aids in would healing, and salicylic acid that targets the wound healing below the surface. All of what I am doing is not just to pop that pimple, but really more towards bringing inflammation down and aiding your body in wound healing. 

So here is what you CAN do, rather than picking and squeezing.

What you can do at home.

1. Have a solid skin care routine that is supportive of your skin type.
2. Exfoliate 1-2 times a week with a GENTLE exfoliator.
3. Change your pillowcase often – These can harbor bacteria!
4. Apply a spot treatment on the pimple overnight even when it has not been opened.
5. Pimple patches.  Pimple patches are not my absolute favorite, but it is definitely better than picking and popping
6. Moisturize regularly.  Moisturized skin will release the dead skin cells easier.
7. Drink plenty of water.  If you are dehydrated, so is your skin.  And Dehydrated skin is going to be tight, dry, and resistant to letting go of the impurities.

If you would like to have some help with choosing a skincare routine that works better for you, or maybe you just want a good acne clearing facial, you can click the link below to go to my booking page!