What to Do After Popping a Pimple: 7 Scientific Methods for You

Can anything ruin an otherwise good mood more than a pimple showing up a day before a date, wedding, or public presentation? For some strange reason, these fluid and debris-filled sacs show up almost all the time when our big days are approaching. Worse still, these annoying protrusions love to sit on the most conspicuous part of our body – the face – during these times.

For most people, there is no better response to an embarrassing pimple than an immediate popping. If it was mean enough to have come at such an inglorious time, they, too, will not hesitate to pluck it out ingloriously.

But while this mechanical approach that involves squeezing and puncturing this skin blemish may appear helpful, experts warn that it comes with heavy consequences. Unless you get a dermatologist to do the popping, you may create more problems than you try to resolve.

The Risks Involved in Popping Pimples

Whether you’ve already done it or are in the process of popping that pimple, the following are the associated risks.

Acne Scars

Ever heard of the phrase “healed wounds but ugly scars?” Popping a pimple can quickly make that saying your reality. A popping gone wrong can cause extensive tissue damage, resulting in skin depression and dark spots. As you are probably aware, scars don’t leave quickly, and you might spend more to remove them than if you had waited for the zits to resolve themselves.

Skin Infection

Inside every pimple pack is a collection of many things, one of which includes infection-causing bacteria. Unless your immune system is done with killing these bacteria, or you have a dermatologist perform this procedure, your chances of spreading these bacteria to nearby skin are very high. What you now discover is that as you try to resolve one zit, another will keep resurfacing.

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Squeezing a zit can cause the excessive release of pigment-producing substances called melanin into the area, which, in turn, will get the site more colored than the rest of the skin. Besides melanin, you could also recruit many keratinocytes into the spot, leading to reddish inflammation. A combined manifestation of inflammation and discoloration is, of course, not a pleasant sight to behold.

Worsened Zits

Most times, when you pop a pimple prematurely or unprofessionally, it doesn’t go permanently. Instead, it comes back with full force, more extensive and redder than the first. The most likely reason for this is that the debris in the former has found their ways into the dermis, causing more damage.

You may be lucky not to have experienced any of these, but eight out of ten people who popped their pimples develop any or all of these risks. But since this article focuses on what you can do after popping your zits, we won’t dwell much on the potential dangers.

7 Things to Do After Popping a Pimple

So, let’s say the deed has been done, and you’ve popped that annoying pimple; here are seven scientifically proven damage-control steps you can take to minimize the risks.

1. Ensure the area is always clean and dry.

Popping opens your skin to the outside world, and if you don’t maintain proper hygiene, it can be an entrance for more infections. One way to prevent this is to clean the place regularly with mild soap and water and allow it to dry.

Microorganisms generally require moisture to flourish, and dry skin contains that. Rachel Nall of Healthline advises washing your hands with an antibiotic soap before cleaning the popped pimple. Of course, this makes sense since you can cross-contaminate your skin if your hands are dirty.

2. An ice pack can relieve inflammation.

One of the at-home remedies for combating inflammation is to place a pack of ice on the affected spot. If you feel irritated or sense that the bumps are inflamed, you can wrap a clean cloth around a pack of ice and intermittently place it on the pimple. It will help soothe the discomfort until your body’s immune response fully arrests the situation.

3. Consider antibiotic treatment

Many natural substances like tea tree oil and aloe vera contain antimicrobial properties that can keep the explosive growth of bacteria at bay or even kill them. You can apply this on your popped pimple every day till it heals.

Alternatively, you can apply Bacitracin on the spot with cotton wool. However, you must also ensure that your hands are clean whenever you want to treat your bumps. You can buy Bacitracin ointment over the counter, and it’s effective at treating minor injuries.

4. Cover up the pimple

Since the pimple now has an opening, one practical way to keep it from infections and ensure quick healing is to cover it. You can use a silicon sheet or bandage available over the counter. If you don’t like the idea of a bandage, you can use a moisturizer as the covering. One recommended moisturizer is Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which adequately hydrates your pores without clogging them.

5. Do not stop your skin routine.

An out-of-hand acne or pimple can be discouraging, leading to the neglect of one’s daily skincare practices. But succumbing to discouragement doesn’t aid the quick healing you crave. Popping is not a therapeutic answer to pimples; you should continue to wash your face regularly in the morning and before bed, and if there’s an anti-pimple ointment you were using before, you shouldn’t stop it.

6. Allow the pimple to heal.

Healing takes time, and it’s a process. You should resist the urge to squeeze further or pop the bumps while the healing progresses. A scab may form over the area as part of the healing process; it doesn’t help to remove it. If you hastily remove the scab, it may cause a permanent mark or scar on your face.

7. Keep chemical cosmetics off the spot.

Many cosmetic products on our faces are synthetic and meant for external use only. Therefore, until the healing process is complete and you are sure the opening has been closed, you should keep off all chemicals from the area.

Is there any Alternative to Popping pimples?

For most females, light make-up can conceal their pimples or take people’s attention away. If there are no underlying health conditions, the bumps should resolve within seven days. Popping should only be reserved for dermatologists because they can determine if and when a pimple is safe.

Some home treatments for pimples also help resolve this skin blemish quickly without causing any side defects. For instance, you can safely apply tea tree oil and green tea to help hydrate and open your pores for quick healing.

That said, some long-term pimple problems are related to certain health conditions than can only go away with a doctor’s help. If you have been trying home remedies and they haven’t been working, seeing your doctor should be the next thing to do.

Conclusion

Except for makeup applications, your pre-pimple skincare activity should continue even after popping your pimple. If you take the appropriate cautions, popping your pimples should not be a serious health concern.