Pop a Pimple

It is rarely a good idea to pop pimples, since doing so can lead to scars or infections. If you must pop a pimple, the best way to prevent damage is to use a needle. Alternatively, applying a wet rag can gently remove a white head. Using your hands to squeeze the pimple is not recommended, but can be done if the other methods seem too labor intensive.

Steps

Determining Whether a Pimple Can Be Popped

  1. Pop whitehead pimples. Whitehead pimples have usually been around for a few days, and they have a white tip where pus has collected underneath the skin. These pimples are easy to pop, and when treated with care they can be safely removed without causing scarring or an infection.[1]
  2. Don't pop new pimples. Pimples that have just appeared in the past day or two aren't ready to pop yet. Wait until the whitehead appears at the tip of the blemish.[2]
  3. Don’t pop pimples that are big, red, or sore. There's too great a risk that an infection could occur, and popping a pimple this big will almost definitely lead to a scar. Only a pimple with white pus is ready to pop.[3]
  4. Visit a dermatologist. Dermatologists can determine the best way to treat your acne. They can prescribe creams that will eliminate your pimples. There are also several procedures they can perform which will remove bad acne.[4]
    • The most commonly prescribed dermatologist treatment is a topical cream, rubbed on the pimples, that will remove oil from the skin and slowly kill pimples.
    • For red, swollen pimples an oral antibiotic might be prescribed to kill bacteria.
    • Dermatologists can also directly remove pimples with procedures including laser therapies and chemical peels. They will often use a pin to pop a pimple, if you are too squeamish to do it yourself.
  5. Limit pimples by washing regularly. Pimples are caused by sweat sitting on your face. Anytime you sweat, wash your face gently with lukewarm water to remove dirt and grime. Do not be harsh or scrub, just wash off sweat.[5]
    • Scrubbing roughly can worsen acne.
    • Do not use rough cleaners, like astringents, toners, or exfoliants.

Prepping Your Hands and the Pimple

  1. Wash your hands. This is a very important step, so do it thoroughly, especially underneath the nails, and use plenty of soap and warm water. You'll want to avoid touching the pimple with your finger nails, but just in case you do, having them clean will reduce the likelihood of irritation and infection.[1]
    • Consider using a fingernail brush to get dirt out from under your fingernails.
  2. Cover your hands. Put on disposable gloves just before you're ready to pop the pimple. Not only will this put a barrier between any remaining bacteria on your fingers (and in your fingernails) and your skin, but it will also prevent the sharp edges of your nails from impacting the pimple.
    • If you don't have disposable gloves, you can cover your fingers with clean tissues.[6]
  3. Clean the skin surrounding the pimple with a face cleanser or rubbing alcohol. Apply cleanser to a cotton ball and spread it. When you pop the pimple, you'll be opening the skin, creating a way for bacteria to enter. The pimple will heal faster if you don't give bacteria a chance to settle in and create an infection.
    • Don't scrub the area too hard, or you'll irritate it further. Gently cleanse the area, rinse it with warm water, and pat it dry with a towel.

Popping a Pimple with a Pin

  1. Sterilize a pin with fire. Use a match or lighter to heat up and sterilize the pin. Expose every bit of the pin to fire for several seconds to kill off any bacteria.[7]
  2. Allow the pin to cool. Give the pin at least a minute to cool down. It should not be painfully hot when you use it to pop your pimple.[7]
  3. Sterilize everything with rubbing alcohol. Apply rubbing alcohol to the pin, to your hands, and to the zit. Be sure that everything involved in the procedure is sanitized with rubbing alcohol.[7]
  4. Hold the pin parallel to your face. You do not want to point the pin toward your face. Instead, you should hold it along your face, so that when you poke your pimple it won’t penetrate anything but the very tip of the pimple.[8]
  5. Pierce the white tip of the zit. Do not touch anything but the white part of the zit. Penetrating the red part of the pimple will cause scarring. Instead, run the pin through the very tip of the pimple, so that it goes through one end and out the other.[8]
  6. Pull up with the pin. The pin should have penetrated the length of the white tip. Pull the pin out, away from your face, so that it ruptures the white tip when you remove the pin from the pimple.[8]
  7. Gently squeeze around the white top. Do not squeeze the white top itself. Instead, squeeze the outside of the pimple so that it pushes out the pus. Consider squeezing with a cotton swab to avoid doing additional damage to the skin.[8]
  8. Apply alcohol to the pimple. Use a cotton swab to rub the area down with alcohol and clean up bacteria. Apply a small amount of bacitracin ointment to the area.[9]

Popping Your Pimple With a Warm Rag

  1. Wet a wash cloth with warm water. Run water until it is warm, but not so hot that it burns you when you touch it. Run a clean wash cloth through the water until it is wet.[2]
  2. Wring out the wash cloth. The cloth should be wet, but not dripping. Squeeze it until excess moisture has been removed.[3]
  3. Hold the washcloth against the pimple. Hold the washcloth against the pimple for a few minutes. Allow the wash cloth to cool down. This will bring up the fluid in the pimple, preparing it to be popped.[2]
  4. Gently slide the washcloth against your pimple. Move your finger slightly, sliding the washcloth against the pimple. With the head loosened up, this should be sufficient to pick it up, without causing damage to the surrounding skin.[3]
    • This method might seem slow and arduous, but it does less damage to the skin than squeezing the pimple directly.
  5. Repeat if necessary. If the whitehead does not fall off the first time that you try this, do it again. The warmth and moisture should eventually be enough to loosen the whitehead without causing damage to your skin.[3]

Popping the Pimple With Your Hands

  1. Plant your fingertips around the pimple's peak. Place one fingertip on either side, just below the tip of the whitehead. You should be able to feel the sebum-filled area easily. After you've located the sebum-filed area, very gently wiggle your fingers together to coax the fluid out.
    • If no pus comes out, position your fingertips in a slightly different place around the pimple, then try again.
    • If the pus still remains in the pimple, stop trying to pop it. The pimple is not yet ready to be popped; either wait a few days or let it go away on its own.[6]
  2. Massage the skin around the pimple. This will encourage the remaining pus to come out; keep doing it until the pimple is completely drained. Don't touch the pimple itself, except to blot away the pus with tissues. There may be some bleeding. If you see blood, stop pushing at the pimple, and leave it alone - it will only put more pressure on the swollen area, and may cause scarring.
  3. Wipe the area with alcohol. Again, the important thing is to make sure bacteria doesn't invade the opening in the skin. Also, consider applying a small amount of bacitracin ointment to protect it.[9]


Tips

  • Don't scratch your pimples as you may risk getting damaged tissue and ultimately a scar.
  • Don't scrape at your skin to get the pimple; that will make it worse.
  • If you have a frequent problem with acne, you should mention this to your dermatologist. He/she might be able to help!
  • It's better to not pop it. It will naturally go away. Good hygiene can help preventing acne or pimples. Some acne or pimple last 2-3 days or at least 1 week.
  • To prevent future pimples from coming up, watch your diet and clean your face every day.
  • All pimples will eventually go away on their own, and you minimize your risk of infections or scarring if you decide not to pop it.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/pop-a-zit#2
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/12/the-only-way-to-pop/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/12/the-only-way-to-pop/
  4. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/acne#treatment
  5. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/acne#tips
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.teenvogue.com/beauty/skin-care/2011-12/how-to-pop-a-pimple/?slide=3
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/pop-a-zit#2
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 http://www.medicaldaily.com/how-pop-pimple-dr-oz-explains-right-way-pop-zit-extremely-realistic-prop-308116
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/pop-a-zit#2
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