Don't Squeeze That Pimple
The act of squeezing pimples, zits, spots or whatever they’re commonly called in your area is a painful and often a serious damage causing action. It’s a long standing myth that popping pimples and blackheads will clear the acne faster and safely. It’s not just a fallacy, it’s a dangerous and foolish act that has the ability to cause permanent long lasting damage to the skin. Don’t squeeze that pimple!
There are two kinds of pimples. Inflammatory pimples, otherwise known as blackheads and whiteheads or open comodones and closed comodones . Blackheads are large plugs that resemble miniature black spots pushing through the surface of the skin, whiteheads however are plugged follicles that sit just beneath the surface of the our skin. The other types are inflammatory pimples, classified as papules. They’re pink and extremely tender to the touch. Pustules are small circular pimples with a reddish base and a sickly yellow centre, nodules otherwise known as cysts are extremely painful and often lead to scarring.
The act of squeezing a blackhead will do more harm than good. Squeezing them injures the sebaceous follicle and surrounding tissue. The ejected bacteria are forced deeper into the skin which leads to swelling and inflammation. Scientific experimentation has also proven that blackheads should not be removed by commonly available extractors. The safest bet is to leave them well alone.
Squeezing whiteheads on the other hand can have a positively disastrous effect. Whiteheads are so tiny they’re often difficult to see. They’re far more likely to flare up and evolve into a pustule or papule than a blackhead.
When whiteheads evolve and form papules or pustules they’re to be treated only by a dermatologist. Do not under any circumstances squeeze an inflammatory lesion, they’re renowned for responding violently and erupting into a far bigger problem than they were prior to the squeeze. Also, when you add this to the fact whiteheads are small and unsatisfying squeezable you really have no need to pop them. A regular treatment tailored to your specific condition is the best form of defence. Whatever you do – don’t squeeze that pimple!
