The biggest question for acne sufferers: to pop or not to pop? No doubt when you wake up in the morning with a monstrous pimple on your face the first thing you want to do is pop all that pus out and have your skin back to normal. But Stop! Lets first look in to whether you’re mother was right all those years when she said don’t pop your pimples or whether a harmless pop just helps relieve the pus. The truth of the matter is while you may think popping gets rid of your pimples it will actually worsen the problem and often leave your skin infected and scarred. When you have a pimple or blemish on your face it is there because excess sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria have built up under your skin have become inflamed. While squeezing all of that out might seem like a logical way to get rid of it, what you are doing is forcing that gunk so hard it either rips your skin or is pushed further down into the follicle. If it tears your skin and comes out the dirt and bacteria from your fingers can get into the pimple, causing it to become red and infected. Worst of all, popping pimples can cause permanent scarring, which can stay with you for the rest of your life. After you pop your pimple you are likely to end up with a large red blemish or scab in its place and is that really any better? Despite knowing all of this, chances are when you next get a big pimple that same temptation to pop it will be back- be strong, don’t do it! But if you really can’t bear not to squeeze it at least follow a few measures to do it properly. - Ensure you wash your hands and nails thoroughly, clean your skin around the pimple with an antibacterial cleanser and exfoliate over it. - Applying a warm washer to the area before popping can soften the area for an easier extraction. - Using toilet paper over your fingers when popping can also reduce bacteria. - Wiping off the wound with an alcohol based toner or cleansing pad is a good idea after popping. - Once you have popped it make sure you keep it clean while the spot is open and oozing and ensure you use no makeup until heals over! - Another great way to keep your skin clear is to try and prevent the pimples coming up in the first place! Ensure you have good face washing and cleansing routines and you may want to try some acne treatments. Though squeezing out the pus of a pimple is tempting a pimple that will stay a couple of days is better than a scar that will last a lifetime. Resist the temptation! You will be thankful for it later.