Why you shouldn’t pick your pimples

What’s the first thing you do when you notice a spot? The majority of us will push it, pick it, prick it and try to pop it. Usually unsuccessful in our attempts, we’re left with red, swollen skin, and often a little bit of blood trickling out.

Did you know that this is possibly the worst thing you can do to a spot? Here’s why:

It leaves scars
When you try to pop a pimple, you use force to get the comedone out – in the process, you cause tearing of the skin. And like all tearing, it scars. Not only is scarring difficult and expensive to get rid of, but it can be very unsightly too. In extreme acne cases, the skin is left with permanent pocks that can only be removed or treated by a professional.

You can cause infection
When you pick at a pimple, you transfer the dirt and bacteria from your fingers onto the skin and in some cases, into the spot. Once it’s infected, it’ll swell even more and become bright red. This has led to many a visit to a dermatologist, as over-the-counter remedies aren’t always strong enough to heal it.

You spread the germs
Not only are you spreading germs onto and into your skin when you pick at it, but the germs from the actual comedone are then transferred to your fingers… Which you spread even further when you rub your eye, scratch your forehead or blow your nose.

So what should you do?
Cleanse the area gently twice a day with an anti-bacterial cleanser (we love Benzaderm Oily Skin Cleanser), and apply a spot-busting treatment cream that’s filled with acne-busting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, like Benzac AC 5 Gel. For day time, you can cover it with a good concealer. You’ll start to see a significant improvement within two days.