Popping a pimple can lead to infection problems as well as marks on the skin. And yet, we often find it difficult to resist this temptation. Especially when one of them seems very “mature.”

Pimple popping, when popping your pimple, is a satisfying act

On one of the youngest’s favorite social networks, the hashtag #Pimplepopping has become trendy to the point of having millions of views. 

It consists of showing the extraction of a pimple in front of the camera and in close-up. Dermatologists experienced in social networks like Drpimperpoppler or Dermdoctor have also gotten into the habit of commenting on the most impressive extractions. Unappealing? Certainly (and not to watch at mealtime). But the act itself seems liberating for some.

The cognitive aspect is that our “thought gets stuck” on a single objective, the bursting of the button. And when the goal is achieved, the hormones of pleasure come into play.

Drill a button safely; instructions for use

But the trend also reveals another aspect of our daily lives: many of us need to have clear skin, annoyed by an imperfection that can sometimes be inflamed. This is not a reason to do anything: the risk of infection when you touch your pimples with your fingers is real, as is the risk of scarring.

Can you pierce your own pimples? “Yes, but not all and not just anyhow. The first thing to know is that we do not act on all spots: “Only open comedones essentially, or blackheads when material (pus and scales) comes out easily. The same goes for pustules when a yellowish pus is ready to evacuate. 

Closed comedones (small cysts under the skin) need to be opened by a professional, just as nothing will come out of red, inflammatory papules, most often painful.

Regarding the method, two options are available to you. The first is applying a healing patch, which is the gentlest method to “absorb” a small pimple without trauma. It can be extracted cleanly between 2 compresses on the skin and with well-disinfected hands.

Finally, once the pimple has been pierced, it is important to disinfect by tapping the area using a compress impregnated with hydrogen peroxide (alcohol is too aggressive on the skin) and to apply a healing cream to allow it to the skin to heal itself.