Many people are stick to a belief that popping zits can speed up the healing process. Yet, popping zits may not be a proper method to promote faster healing. When done improperly and carelessly without sufficient knowledge, popping zits may increase the risk of scarring. In certain type of skin, this scarring may stay for a long period and can even be permanent. Hence, there are certain considerations to take before deciding to pop your facial zits, to make sure the thing does not make the skin breakout problem even worse.

What kind of zits can be popped?

Zits with whiteheads are the only type of zits that can be popped with cautions. The zits should be there for days that you can see the whitehead clearly. In other words, there are some zits that should not be popped, such as:

• Blind zits—the zits formed under the skin surface and thus, do not pop out to the surface of the skin. They are referred as blind zits as there are no whiteheads visible. This kind of zits should never be squeezed, as you may push the clogged oil, dirt, and bacteria even deeper, rather than having it extracted from beneath the skin surface.
• Zits that are large, red, and painful. Popping zits with these characteristics may lead into a bigger risk of infection. An infected zit will definitely increase the risk of scarring that may be permanent.

Harmful risks of popping zits

In most cases, popping zits can be dangerous. Professional dermatologists may perform the action under sterilized procedures and sufficient knowledge, so that the risks can be minimized. However, when done improperly at home, popping zits may carry some harmful risks, such as:

• Worsened breakouts

Zits are physically skin sacks containing oil, debris, and infesting bacteria. When the zits are punctured and squeezed, the drainage oozes out. As a result, bacteria infesting the punctured skin splatter and may land inside other pores, causing another breakout.

• Infection

When a zit, especially blind zit is squeezed, the contained oil, debris, and bacteria may be pushed down deeper to the skin tissues beneath the skin. Blind zits are already an infection and pushing the bacteria deeper will re-infect the skin tissues, causing worse inflammation. As a result, the infected area becomes swollen, red, and more painful.

• Bleeding

Carelessly pop zits may result in bleeding. When pimples bleed, a clogged pore is exposed, making it susceptible to bacteria residing on skin. As the body combats these infesting bacteria, the clogged pores are inflamed. When the bleeding stops, you will spot dried blood residing on the inflamed pores. This, thus, make the zits more noticeable. When dried blood is picked, the risk of scarring increases.

• Scarring

Popping zits also increases the risk of scarring. Normally, minor dark spots resulted from zits will go away within months. When you pop the zits and cause it to be infected, however, worse scarring will come up, as there are some skin tissues that are damaged. Deep zit scars last longer than months and can be a permanent issue.

Getting rid of zits that cannot be popped

To pop zits, careful thoughts should be considered. Proper knowledge and techniques are required, along with sterilized instruments. Some kinds of zits can be popped without any risk of scarring. Some other kinds, conversely, should never be popped, considering the potential risks. There are some methods on how to help getting rid of pimples you cannot or should not pop.

• Keep the zits from heavy make-ups. While you have the urge to conceal it, wearing heavy make-ups on a zit will cause more dirt and promote more oil to get trapped in the hair follicle. These will definitely make the acne worse and increase the risk of inflammation that may result in infection. Thus, when having a breakout, wear light make-up and wipe it off thoroughly before going to bed.
• Use natural remedies you may find at home to relieve pain caused by the inflammation. Lemon juice, white toothpaste, and salicylic acid are good home remedies not only to relieve the pain, but also to dry out zits that cannot be popped. Apply one of your preferred ingredient before sleeping and rinse it thoroughly in the next morning.
• Keep the hands off. While popping zits may be dangerous, picking at and touching it frequently is indifferent. By doing these, you might transfer the bacteria from your hands to the skin pores on your face. This will cause another infection, causing more zits, or making the existing zits worse.
• Put a warm compress. If you have got zits that cannot be popped because they do not have any whiteheads, you need to encourage them to burst. Putting a warm compress twice to third times a day may soften the zits, making it easier to naturally burst.