Should you pop a pimple or let it heal on its own?

Dear Dr. Manny, 

I have terrible acne, and I tend to pick at it. But I noticed that picking at it only makes it hurt more. How do you heal a popped pimple? What happens when blood comes out? Is it bad to pop whiteheads? Why do pimples feel hard? 

Thanks for your question.

A pimple is an infected, clogged pore, usually on your face. The infection makes a pus-filled tip and can become inflamed, sensitive, or even in some cases, painful. Your skin is covered in pores, or little wells, that sit at the bottom of hair follicles. These pores connect your skin to the sebaceous gland, which produces a kind of oil called sebum.

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Sebum is released continually and brought up to the surface, along with dead skin cells. But sometimes, too much sebum is produced, which can clog the pore. The clog creates a sort of plug in the pore, where bacteria can get trapped.

Occasionally, the infection, with the additional pus and oil, can cause the cell to break and create an even bigger pimple.

No pimples are naturally filled with blood. If blood comes out of a pimple, this means that you have popped it and now it is healing and scabbing over. The forced trauma of popping the pimple brings the blood out of the irritated skin.

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If you have a blood-filled pimple, leave it alone. It will heal on its own. Pimples are swollen ducts, so they’ll have some natural pressure.

It is bad to pop whiteheads because the bacteria will make the infection worse. It is better for that infection to be contained in one area. If you pop a whitehead, you’ll make a worse break out on your skin than before.

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Don’t ever pop the pimple. Wash your skin twice a day with a mild soap, using your fingers. A brush or a washcloth might cause unnecessary roughness on your skin. Look for over-the-counter products that come with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

If you have already popped a pimple, follow these simple steps to heal the wound. Rinse the area, compress the wound with a warm cloth. Apply cream and keep the wound moist. Cover it up and don’t pick at it anymore!

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