The Pimple Predicament: To Pop or Not to Pop?

     Pimples, those pesky little blemishes that seem to appear at the most inconvenient times, can be such a pain. Your face is clear one day and seemingly out of nowhere when you wake up the next day, a mountain sized eruption has shown up. The age-old debate of whether to pop or not pop your pimples continues to perplex individuals striving for flawless skin. In this blog, I’ll break down why we want to pop, the pros and cons of popping and then show you a couple of ways of taking care of it without breaking the skin.

Comedos (the scientific name of pimples) come in different forms. Blackheads or whiteheads can be inflamed or uninflamed. Blackheads get their name because the debris in the pore has broken through and the oxygen has made the top turn a darker color. Whiteheads are still under the skin and have not been exposed to oxygen so they still remain skin color or white in presentation. Whatever form they show up, it never stops the urge to get rid of it because where it doesn’t belong is, on our face. Of the two, blackheads are usually the easiest to pop since they have already broken the surface of the skin visibly. Because whiteheads are still beneath the surface, I advise not to try and pop it because it heightens the risk of damage left behind as you work to get the debris up and out.

      The temptation to pop has so many thoughts behind it. There’s instant gratification to get rid of it, thinking it will go away quicker if we get everything out of the pore so it can “heal.” Picking a pimple can provide a sense of immediate satisfaction, as it seems like a quick solution to eliminate the unsightly blemish. The feeling of control and the hope for accelerated healing are often driving factors behind this impulsive habit. You might have heard that popping a pimple will speed up the healing process, allowing the skin to recover faster. However, understanding the anatomy of a pimple and the skin's natural healing mechanisms reveals a more nuanced reality.