Popping pimples can be very tempting, but resist the urge. When you pop a pimple, it damages the underlying tissue and can leave your complexion looking worse.
Popping pimples on your face, back, chest, or buttocks can lead to more breakouts, discoloration, and acne scars.
This article explains why popping pimples is bad for your skin. It also provides tips for safely treating acne so that it won’t cause skin damage or scarring.
Pimples and Inflammation
We’ve been warned by our dermatologists, estheticians, and even our mothers—do not pop pimples. Yes, popping pimples is as bad for our skin as the experts say.
A pimple occurs when excess sebum (oil), dead skin cells, and bacteria become trapped in a pore. This leads to the development of red, tender bumps with white pus at their tips.
When you have a pimple, the pore is already swollen and under a lot of pressure.
What Happens When you Pop a Pimple?
While your instinct may be to squeeze a pimple, consider what is happening under the skin.
When you squeeze a pimple:
- You can force the debris from the pore deeper into the follicle (the structure that anchors each strand of hair to the skin).
- That can cause the follicle wall to rupture, spilling the infected material (including pus) into the lower layer of skin, called the dermis.
- This can result in even more inflammation than before, with increased redness, swelling, and heat in the surrounding skin.
- The break in the structure of the skin can also promote infection, which can, in turn, lead to the formation of an even larger pimple and/or a new pimple right next to the one you just popped.
Have you ever popped a pimple thinking you “got” it, only to have it come back a few hours later bigger and “angrier” than before? You’re not imagining things. That’s because the damage happens below the surface of the skin and on the surface as well.
How the Skin Changes After You Pop a Pimple
In addition to new pimples forming near a pimple that’s been squeezed, other skin changes, such as scars, and discoloration, can occur too.
Popping a papule (a pimple without a white head) forces the skin to break open to release the pus. This leads to the formation of a scab and the darkening of the surrounding skin.
Squeezing the area frequently can lead to the formation of acne nodules (hardened acne lesions in deeper tissues) or acne cysts (deep, pus-filled lesions that look similar to boils).
Popping Pimples and Scarring
Popping pimples can cause more than a swollen spot or a scab; it is a surefire way to increase your chances of developing acne scars.
Every time your skin is damaged, there’s a possibility tissue will be lost during the healing process. That is how you get depressed or pitted acne scars. The more extensive the damage, the higher the chance of tissue loss.
Even if depressed scars don’t develop, you can be left with dark marks known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This occurs when severe inflammation damages cells known as keratinocytes, causing them to release large amounts of a pigment called melanin.
If the damage is minimal, the darkening of the skin will often reverse. But, if the damage is severe or ongoing, the discoloration may lighten but not entirely disappear without treatment.
Safer Ways to Care for Pimples
Picking at pimples can spread infection and worsen your acne. Clearly, a “hands-off” policy is the best choice when it comes to caring for acne-prone skin.
With that said, it’s natural to want to get rid of pimples and get rid of them fast. Fortunately, there are safer ways to do so.
Acne Spot Treatments
Instead of popping a pimple, try over-the-counter (OTC) acne spot treatments. These products are dabbed on existing pimples to help them dry and heal. These include products containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or sulfur. You can also try a warm compress or hydrocolloid pimple bandaids to help shrink a pimple that’s bothering you.
These OTC remedies work best for relatively minor pimples. You may need to see a dermatologist if you have a really big pimple that won’t go away. Spot treatments are unlikely to be of much help with more severe blemishes.
Safer Blemish Extractions
When considering how to manage acne breakouts, it’s important to understand that some options are safe, some are not ideal but are likely harmless, and some could be dangerous or unhealthy.
At one point or another, most people have popped a pimple even though they knew they shouldn’t. Occasionally squeezing a blemish, while not great for your skin, is normal and understandable.
But, when squeezing pimples becomes a compulsion, you may develop a condition known as acne excoriée (or excoriated acne). People with excoriated acne pick at their pimples, real or imagined, to the point of seriously damaging their skin. You can learn to stop this behavior, but you will likely need the help of a professional, particularly if acne is causing ongoing anxiety or depression.
You may consider booking an appointment with a dermatologist or esthetician experienced in professional pimple extraction. They may teach you how to pop a pimple safely and how to decide whether it’s safe for you to pop a pimple at home.
Among some of the things you should never do when popping pimples:
- Never use your fingernails or another hard object to squeeze a pimple.Never force a pimple to pop.Never pop a pimple that doesn’t have a white or yellow “head.”
Summary
Popping a pimple is something you should make every effort to avoid. Doing so can force the contents of the pimple into deeper tissues. This can lead to skin inflammation, the formation of new pimples in nearby areas, scarring, and discoloration. In some cases, the damage caused to the skin may be permanent.
Instead of popping pimples, try over-the-counter acne medications or seek professional pimple extraction by a dermatologist or esthetician. If you can’t resist popping a pimple, ask your dermatologist how to do so. Severe acne often requires treatment by a doctor.
A Word From Verywell
If you are prone to severe acne, the best thing you can do is use acne medication every day.
Over-the-counter acne products can help treat minor breakouts, but, if they don’t work after two or three months, see a dermatologist. They can offer many prescription acne treatments or procedures that can help clear pimples and improve the overall quality of your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a zit?
- The slang term “zit” is another way to describe a pimple. Zits usually form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.
- How do pimples form?
- Pimples start forming when pores on your skin are blocked by sebum (naturally-produced oil that moisturizes the skin) and dead skin cells. Bacteria within the pores can cause inflammation and the development of pus.
- Learn More:
- 4 Types of Pimples and How to Treat Them
- How do I stop popping pimples?
- One way to stop is by visiting a dermatologist. Dermatologists can offer treatments that help clear pimples without causing undue damage to the skin. They can also offer education to help you understand how to treat or prevent pimples safely. This, in turn, can reduce the anxiety that can lead to pimple popping.
- What happens to a pimple if you don’t pop it?
- When you leave a pimple alone, it clears up in a few days. A whitehead is close to the surface and may pop and drain on its own when it is ready. A deeper pimple typically dissolves on its own.
- Do pimples heal faster when they are popped?
- It may seem like popping a whitehead makes it clear up faster, but that’s not necessarily true. Popping a pimple may clear up the visual signs of a pimple, but it causes damage to the tissue and often makes it look worse.
- Can you pop blackheads?
- The same rules apply to both popping pimples and blackheads. It should only be done in a professional setting by either a dermatologist or esthetician. Popping blackheads can lead to infection and scarring.
The slang term “zit” is another way to describe a pimple. Zits usually form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.
Pimples start forming when pores on your skin are blocked by sebum (naturally-produced oil that moisturizes the skin) and dead skin cells. Bacteria within the pores can cause inflammation and the development of pus.
One way to stop is by visiting a dermatologist. Dermatologists can offer treatments that help clear pimples without causing undue damage to the skin. They can also offer education to help you understand how to treat or prevent pimples safely. This, in turn, can reduce the anxiety that can lead to pimple popping.
When you leave a pimple alone, it clears up in a few days. A whitehead is close to the surface and may pop and drain on its own when it is ready. A deeper pimple typically dissolves on its own.
It may seem like popping a whitehead makes it clear up faster, but that’s not necessarily true. Popping a pimple may clear up the visual signs of a pimple, but it causes damage to the tissue and often makes it look worse.
The same rules apply to both popping pimples and blackheads. It should only be done in a professional setting by either a dermatologist or esthetician. Popping blackheads can lead to infection and scarring.
