Don't Pop Your Pimples! But If You Do...

Having had acne since the age of 11, I know as well as anyone how tempting it can be to pick at and pop pimples. However, what seems like an easy fix backfires on us most of the time. 

This is why I highly advise against popping your pimples. There are just too many risks. For starters, any bacteria you have on your hands is transferred to bacteria filled lesions on your face. Second, what usually ends up happening is by attempting to pop the pimple, you actually push bacteria deeper into the follicle. When this happens, the surrounding pores become infected too, creating new breakouts to form. Not only can it cause new breakouts, popping and picking at your pimples also leads to more scarring. 

With that being said, sometimes we succumb to the desire to try to nip a pimple in the bud, and then we have to take care of the consequences that follow. But don't worry! There are a few things you can do if you have popped a pimple to get it back to the path of healing. 

How To Heal a Popped Pimple

Keep the Area Clean

A popped pimple should be treated like any other minor injury (like a cut or scrape). It's sometimes easy to forget that a popped pimple is an open wound! Because of this, it's important to make sure that the area is clean and stays clean. Wash the infected area very gently with lukewarm water and Gentle Cleanser. 

Don't Pick at Scabbing

Depending on how much trauma was inflicted on the area, the popped pimple may scab over. This is the body's natural way of protecting itself. Make sure to keep your hands off of the scab and allow for healing!

Stay Consistent With Your Routine

When your skin is healing or irritated, it may feel natural to do more of one thing and less of another in your skincare routine, but this can actually backfire by causing excessive dryness to the skin, among other issues. You may also feel like "why bother?" and skip a night or two. However, please don't do this! When the skin is healing, the key is to stay very consistent with your skincare routine. 

With that being said, if you are dealing with spontaneous breakouts, I do have tips around cycle syncing that can give you an idea on how to deal with these. You can read about that here. 

Spot Treat

Along with staying really consistent, spot treating with the The Pink Potion at night is a great way to expedite the healing process.

The Pink Potion should be applied directly to the pimple after the last step of your skincare routine every night. Leave the treatment on your breakout over night and wash off gently in the morning. 

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, Annihilate is a pregnancy-safe option for spot treatment. Use it in the same way as The Pink Potion. Dispense a small amount of Annihilate on the back of the hand, then dip a Q-tip in it and dot on the pimple as the last step of your night time routine. 

Ice, ice, ice!

In addition to helping your skin heal more quickly, icing will also help calm down the infected area, helping with redness and tenderness. Morning and evening, after cleansing, roll an ice cube over the infected area for 30 seconds to one minute, making sure not to stay in one place for too long. Follow with Calm Down Toner and the rest of your routine. 

Be Proactive About Scarring

To ensure that this irritated lesion doesn't lead to scarring, there are a few things I recommend doing: 

1. Use Clarifying Serum in the morning as part of your skincare routine. If you're on the Clear Skincare Set, this should already be a part of your routine. Formulated with L-Mandelic Acid and Niacinamide, Clarifying Serum helps to prevent post acne scarring while also keeping you more clear. 

2. Continue to apply a highly graded sunscreen. UV rays can exacerbate hyperpigmentation and damage, so keep that area well protected! 

3. Once the breakout has cleared, if there is still scarring left behind, you can use the Pro-Retinol Serum, Brighten Up, or Enlightened Serum to fade any residual scarring or pigmentation. (To see which is best for you and your skin, always do a Check-In)

Seek The Help of an Expert

When a popped-pimple-goes-wrong, it's always in your best interest to seek the advice of an expert!

For Current Clients: Here at Emme Diane, our online Check-In is always available for you (and will always be free!). If you have a customized Emme Diane Skincare Routine, please Check-In if you're struggling with the aftermath of a popped pimple. 

For New Clients: Hi there! Get started with the free consultation. There are no obligations or strings attached, just a simple online form. Start Now!