One can only have so much willpower. Sure, you can pass on that decadent dessert and hit the gym instead of lounging on the couch, but can you walk away from a zit just waiting to be popped? We all pick our battles; some of us pick our zits.
So if you’re going to do it, what’s the best, safest way? First, hold a warm towel to the affected area to open up the pores and help the whitehead come out easier, says Lotika Singh, M.D., a dermatologist at Manhattan’s Schweiger Dermatology Group. Clean off the area with rubbing alcohol, and then use Q-tips to gently squeeze the skin around the zit until you reach the popping point.
If it doesn’t pop after two or three delicate tries, just walk away. “If you’re too aggressive and you try it too many times, you run the risk of scarring,” Singh says. Also, the bigger the zit, the more likely it is to leave a mark, she says. If the whitehead is bigger than the top of a Q-tip, it shouldn't be messed with.
Once the deed is done, apply a salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide spot treatment and let the zit heal on its own. Whatever you do, avoid applying harsh ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or pure rubbing alcohol to your face (outside of the pre-pop sterilization). Doing so—or even applying acne treatment products so frequently that your skin starts flaking—can over-stimulate oil production and leave you with more zits in the long run.
Also steer clear of popping a zit with your fingers, which can lead to a localized infection, says Michele Green, M.D., a Manhattan-based cosmetic dermatologist. Use a steel comedone extractor if you really feel the need, Singh says, but above all, make sure the pimple is ready to be popped. “If it’s really deep below the surface and the skin on top looks just red and smooth, it’s probably not going to come out,” Singh says. And picking without a pop? Not an experience worth having.
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