We all know that we shouldn’t pop pimples but we do it anyway, this article looks at what happens after you pop a pimple.
After you pop a pimple you’ll be left with a wound on the skin. The pressure that you apply as you pop the pimple tears the blemish open to release the puss inside. Once the puss it out what’s left is a hole in the skin, this can develop into a scrub
Everyone knows we shouldn’t do it. But almost everyone does it. Pimples don’t look too good and the thought of having your pore clogged up with puss is not the best. There are a variety of reasons why people pop their pimples. We know it spreads more bacteria but we generally can’t help, ourselves
That being said, popping pimples can be quite satisfying. That feeling of pressure releasing and the puss coming out can be amazing. The videos of doctors popping pimples and cysts are a huge crowd-pleaser. But what actually happens when you pop a pimple? This article takes a closer look at what’s happening on a deeper level.
Table of Contents
What is a pimple?
Acne or blemishes have different forms, they come in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, blind pimples and pimples. They all develop from a clogged pore. This is when the sebum on the skin and the dead skin cells that have been sitting on your skin for too long combine, enter your pore and clog it.
Whitehead: This can be seen as a small bump other skin, the bump contains dead skin cells and sebum. The white hump is covered by a thin layer of skin on top.
Blackhead: This is when the whitehead mentioned above gets exposed to oxygen and turns the bump black. That’s the only difference between a whitehead and a blackhead, the contents are still the same
Pimples: These happen when a whitehead gets infected with bacteria. The bacteria causes your sebum and dead skin cells to form puss when infected
Blind pimple: This happens when the clog happens under many layers of skin. These are usually very painful because they are deep in the skin close to the nerves.
Blemishes actually take several weeks to develop, it might take 8 weeks of preparation before your skin produces the pimples, whitehead, blackhead or blind pimples you see on your face. That is why it’s so important to have a good skincare routine and stick to it to avoid getting them in the first place.
If you want something that will help get rid of a pimple fast then you can use a drying lotion. Drying lotions will help get rid of the pimple and you can skip having to wait weeks for cleansers to give you results (which may take 4/6 weeks to work and can cause more pimples) this is a great drying lotion that will help you get rid of the pimple fast.
What happens after you pop a pimple?
There is usually little damage if you have a small blackhead or whitehead and you decide it scratch it off and clean it. It might create a small scab but if the whitehead or blackhead is small enough then you won’t really see it.
The blind pimples are difficult to pop. They have many layers of skin over them and popping it will be difficult because of this. You would have to bring it to the surface to pop it or figure out another way to deal with it.
Popping pimples can make the problem worse than it already was ( I know very difficult) if you pop it incorrectly (which there is a high chance of) you could wind up getting the area more infected and or the area can scar very badly. There are various scars that can happen as a result of the popping pimples, the pimples will create a hole then will scar up. The most difficult scars to get rid of are the ice-pick scar.
Your skin gets torn when you pop a pimple. Your skin is delicate and your fingers are not. When you pop a pimple to get the puss out you wind up tearing the skin. The pimple may leave a hole in your skin after you pop it. The skin is now open to any impurities and bacteria that is on top of your skin, on your nails or in the air. The pimples will get infected, irritated and red. ,
When dermatologists do it:
Dermatologists are trained to know how to pop pimples safely. They, first and foremost, use clean sterile equipment and gloves when dealing with your skin. In addition, they use extraction equipment to properly get the puss out. They then clean the area preventing infections.
What you can do:
You can use a variety of products like cleansers and exfoliators (this is a favourite) which will help you get rid of pimples over time. This will prevent you from getting pimples and puncturing your face. Prescription acne treatments like retinol (this is a good one) are known to work well. Note that they can dry out your skin so be sure to moisturize properly while using them.
You should also be using a good skincare routine to get rid of pimples to avoid getting them in the first place. Make sure to know the reasons you have pimples before you pop them. Knowing the reason for the problem will help you prevent pimples in the first place, this article explains the meaning behind pimple locations.
Is it better to pop a pimple or leave it?
It’s better to leave the pimple and treat it than to pop it. Popping the pimple can lead to the bacteria being pushed further into your skin and you can develop another pimple. It can also lead to the area scabbing up and leaving you with acne scarring after the scab has fallen off.
To treat the pimple you should use a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide gel or cream twice a day. Using this will help the pimple disappear quickly with no hassle. You can also use tea tree oil on the pimple, this article explains how.
When should you pop a zit?
If you really feel that you need to pop your pimple then you should wait for it to become ripe. You should only pop a pimple when you can see the white or yellow puss, this is the head.
If you pop it at this stage it will be easy to pop and you can extract it with minimal scarring because this is the closest to the skin as it’s going to get. If you try to pop it while the pimple is still red and deep in the skin then you can make the pimple more red and inflamed.
What to do after popping a pimple?
After you pop your pimple you need to give the best environment so it can heal.
1. After popping you need to let it heal, don’t go back to it and reattempt to pop the pimple.
2. You need to clean the area very well, use your normal everyday cleanser to gently clean the area, it’s a wound so you want to be as gentle as you can with it
3. To reduce inflammation on your pimple you can gently dap some witch hazel on the area, this will help clean the area and reduce inflation on your skin as well. Ice also helps if your pimple is swollen, using ice will help calm the inflamed skin and reduce any pain you might have
4. Use an antibiotic ointment, you need to make sure your wound is kept clean and moist at all times. You can use an antibacterial ointment on the wound. This is beneficial in helping the wound heal better
What happens when you pop a whitehead?
The effects of popping a whitehead aren’t as bad as popping a pimple. When you pop a whitehead you don’t run the risk of any bacteria spreading under the skin, white-heads are simply a mix of dead skin cells and puss. When you pop them they can come out quite cleanly and the chances of developing scarring are pretty low. Steaming your face will help extract whiteheads and blackheads, this is how to do it.
Do pimples pop on their own? What happens if you never pop a pimple?
If you don’t pop your pimple it will usually go away on its own assuming that you’re properly cleansing your face. This should take around 3-7days to happen.
If the pimple doesn’t pop on its own after 3-7 days then the pimple may start to drain on its own. You should be ready with some hydrogen peroxide, which hazel or alcohol to clean the area as it drains.
When the pimple has stopped draining you should use an antibiotic treatment on the area to keep the area moist and clean and to allow it to heal properly.
Can you die from popping a pimple?
Technically yes you can actually die from popping a pimple. Well you can cause a chain reaction that can possibly kill you if you pop a pimple in a specific place. There is a risk zone on the face called the “triangle of death” the veins in the area lead to the “cavernous sinus” which is in the region of the brain.
When you pop a pimple you create a wound. If not kept clean the wound can form clots and these clots inevitably will contain bacteria and thus develop into infections, this infection can put pressure on the brain.
The brain is very delicate and if pressure is applied to it this can lead to paralysis, loss of eyesight, meningitis brain abscesses and worst-case scenario this can lead to death. Make sure you keep the area clean if you pop a pimple in that area.
What happens when you pop a pimple and blood comes out?
This is an everyday occurrence for many of us pimple poppers. When we squeeze pimples not only does pus come out but blood can also come out as well.
The reason for this is that when we squeeze we generally squeeze too hard on the pimple and don’t know when the pimple is all squeezed out. This excessive squeezing causes the blood vessels under the pimple to burst and the pimple starts filling with blood and exits the wound site. The skin is very delicate so this can happen very easily.
How do you prevent whiteheads?
Wash your face: Face washes and cleansers are able to break down the excess sebum on your skin that can combine with your dead skin cells and give your whiteheads. Make sure you’re washing your face with a good face wash that contains salicylic acid. This ingredient can be found in many face wash products and it will break up the sebum on your skin
Exfoliate: In addition to washing your face you need to make sure you’re exfoliating your skin on a regular basis. Whiteheads are the result of sebum and dead skin cells on your face combining and clogging your pore to create the whitehead. Exfoliating will help remove the dead skin cells from your face
Keep your skin moisturised: Whiteheads and other skin blemishes aren’t caused by skin that is too moisturised, they are caused by dry skin. When your skin is dry the oil glands are triggered to produce sebum in an effort to moisturise itself. The oil glands can produce too much sebum and this excess sebum will mix in with your dead skin cells and cause whiteheads.
Tip: Do not touch or irritate the whitehead if you develop one. Constantly touching your skin and feeling the whitehead will simply add dirt and excess oil on the area and this can make the whitehead even worse.
What is the clear liquid that comes out of pimples?
If you’re popped a pimple recently you’ve probably noticed some clear liquid coming out of the pimple in addition to the puss. This clear liquid is called edema. Edema can accumulate anywhere on your body where there is swelling and redness.
Why is the pus in my pimple hard?
If the pus inside your pimple is hard this is because the clog is deep in the skin and is being compressed. The types of acne that cause hard pus are nodules and cysts, these are usually very painful and inflamed.
Both types of acne (nodules and cysts) occur deep below the skin’s surface. There is nowhere for the pimple to release the pressure (the contents of the pimple) so it becomes compressed, hard and red.
Why does my pimple hurt?
If your pimple really hurts you could be dealing with cystic acne. If the pimple is red, inflamed, painful and deep in the skin then it’s probably cystic acne, not a pimple.
Cystic acne develops when the infection gets into the deeper layers of your skin, the result is an angry, red painful bump filled with puss. These are more painful because they are in the deeper layers of your skin, they can also be very close to a minor nerve ending which makes them painful. The clog is so deep that it can’t release the pressure of the puss and this makes it so painful
How long do puberty pimples last?
Puberty pimples can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years. You can start to develop acne when you’re around 10-13 years old when puberty starts for most people.
The acne generally carries on into your early 20’s and can be worse if you have oily skin. The scarring from this can last longer than that. You can also develop acne in your 20s and later on in life, this called adult acne.
Why my acne is not going away?
If your acne is not going away and you’re using the correct skin care products for your skin type then your problem may have to do with your food choices. Foods rich in oils will cause you to develop oily skin and cause acne. Salt and alcohol will dry your skin thus triggering your skin to produce excess oil. Dairy can also be the reason for your acne. Look into what you eat and if it’s causing your acne.
I hope you enjoyed this article explaining what happens when you pop pimples. I hope that this has inspired you to practice better skincare before you think about popping the pimples. If you enjoyed this article please share it so others can practice god skincare too.
