Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTo Pop or NotHow to PopWhen Not to PopOther Methods
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
To Pop or Not
How to Pop
When Not to Pop
Other Methods
Of course, there are times when the temptation to pop a pimple may be too great, or a pimple may cause such discomfort that you want it drained. It’s certainly possible to pop a pimple with fingers, especially if the pimple has an obvious white head. Taking steps to prevent skin damage and infections is important if you decide to go this route. You may even need a professional’s help.
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Is It Better to Pop or Leave a Pimple?
The best approach with a pimple is to leave it alone. Though it might not be the fastest method, it reduces the risk of skin damage. Popping a pimple can lead to infection, scarring, and worsened acne.
If you squeeze apimple, you might get some pus out of it. But the problem is that the squeezing pushes the pimple both up and down. It’s not just the pus that you’re moving, you’re also moving the core.
A pimple’s core holds a plug of dead skin cells andsebum, a natural skin oil. When you squeeze, you push the plug deeper into thepore.
The pressure from popping a pimple can cause the wall of the pore to burst. This happens below the skin surface where you can’t see it. The infection can then spread in thedermislayer of the skin.
The more the skin is damaged, the worse your skin may get and the higher the chance you’ll developacne scarring.
Where to Not Pop PimplesNever pop a pimple in the area between the bridge of your nose to the corners of your mouth. Although rare, an infected pimple in this area can lead to life-threatening infections like meningitis and brain abscess, which is why some people call it “the danger triangle of the face.”
Where to Not Pop Pimples
Never pop a pimple in the area between the bridge of your nose to the corners of your mouth. Although rare, an infected pimple in this area can lead to life-threatening infections like meningitis and brain abscess, which is why some people call it “the danger triangle of the face.”
How to Pop a Pimple
Popping pimples should always be a last resort. If you’re going to pop a pimple, do it safely. Remember that when you squeeze a pimple, you can damage your skin.
The correct way to pop a pimple with your fingers depends on if it is a whitehead or blackhead:
Whiteheads
This method only works for pimples with large, obvious whiteheads that are close to the skin surface:
If you still have the whitehead, continue with these steps:
In general, you can gently pop a whitehead pimple once, but don’t try to draw more out again later. Doing so can lead to scarring.
Blackheads
It’s safer to extract a blackhead than an inflamed pimple. There’s less risk of infection and scarring, but you still need to treat your skin gently.
You may want to try removing a blackhead right after a shower or bath. The steam and warmth from the shower will relax the pore openings, as well as loosen and soften the blackhead plugs. This will make it easier to coax them from the pore.
Using Comedone Extractors
A comedone extractor is a small metal tool that estheticians use to remove blackheads.
While you can get one online or at the drugstore, it can hurt your skin if you don’t use it properly. It’s easy to apply too much pressure and bruise your skin.
If you do use an extractor for comedones, follow these steps:
What Should You Do After Popping a Pimple?If you’ve already popped a pimple, don’t try to squeeze any more out of it. Tohelp it heal, wash it with a gentle cleanser, and try using a spot treatment with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. To help reduce any swelling, you might try using a cold compress with a cloth wrapped around an ice pack.
What Should You Do After Popping a Pimple?
If you’ve already popped a pimple, don’t try to squeeze any more out of it. Tohelp it heal, wash it with a gentle cleanser, and try using a spot treatment with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. To help reduce any swelling, you might try using a cold compress with a cloth wrapped around an ice pack.
Pimples You Should Never Pop
There are some types of pimples that you should never try to pop, including:
Draining a Pimple Without Popping It
Before you start squeezing, take a look at some of the alternatives to popping a pimple:
1:38Click Play to Learn How to Pop a Pimple
1:38
Click Play to Learn How to Pop a Pimple
Summary
It’s best to leave pimples alone to heal. Attempting to pop one may prolong your breakout and lead to scarring and infection.
If you are going to go ahead and pop a pimple, take steps to minimize the risk of skin damage and a worsened infection.
The technique you’ll want to use to pop a pimple will depend on what kind of pimple you have and what stage it’s in. Whiteheads and blackheads can be manageable, but you should never try to pop inflamed, cystic acne.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple popping: Why only a dermatologist should do it.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Skin care for acne-prone skin.Pannu A, Saroch A, Sharma N.Danger triangle of face and septic cavernous sinus thrombosis.Visual Diagnost Emerg Med. 2017 Apr;53(1):137-138. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.03.016Cao H, Yang G, Wang Y, et al.Complementary therapies for acne vulgaris. Cochrane Skin Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;2016(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009436.pub2Additional ReadingZaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ, et al.Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2016;74(5):945-973. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.12.037
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple popping: Why only a dermatologist should do it.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Skin care for acne-prone skin.Pannu A, Saroch A, Sharma N.Danger triangle of face and septic cavernous sinus thrombosis.Visual Diagnost Emerg Med. 2017 Apr;53(1):137-138. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.03.016Cao H, Yang G, Wang Y, et al.Complementary therapies for acne vulgaris. Cochrane Skin Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;2016(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009436.pub2Additional ReadingZaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ, et al.Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2016;74(5):945-973. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.12.037
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple popping: Why only a dermatologist should do it.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Skin care for acne-prone skin.Pannu A, Saroch A, Sharma N.Danger triangle of face and septic cavernous sinus thrombosis.Visual Diagnost Emerg Med. 2017 Apr;53(1):137-138. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.03.016Cao H, Yang G, Wang Y, et al.Complementary therapies for acne vulgaris. Cochrane Skin Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;2016(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009436.pub2
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple popping: Why only a dermatologist should do it.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Skin care for acne-prone skin.
Pannu A, Saroch A, Sharma N.Danger triangle of face and septic cavernous sinus thrombosis.Visual Diagnost Emerg Med. 2017 Apr;53(1):137-138. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.03.016
Cao H, Yang G, Wang Y, et al.Complementary therapies for acne vulgaris. Cochrane Skin Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;2016(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009436.pub2
Zaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ, et al.Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2016;74(5):945-973. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.12.037
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