How To Pop A Pimple You are not supposed to do it, but you do. So I want to give you a little guidance to make sure you do the right things when popping a pimple.

Not all pimples should be popped. You can do far more damage by attempting to pop pimples that shouldn’t be touched like cysts or pimples deep underneath the skin. In some situations you can actually cause further infection, inflammation and even scarring.

I would only approach white heads and black heads. Anything else, please see a dermatologist for treatment. A doctor will have the ability to get to the bottom of your particular issue and give you relief - you don’t have to live with it.

These steps may sound like I am belaboring the process, but I promise you, you want your kid gloves on when trying to extract the contents of a pimple. A slapdash approach can lead to disaster.

1. Start out by cleansing the skin and gently massage the blemish. Never try to pop a pimple with dirty skin!
2. Use an exfoliator over the blemish. Be gentle, you do not want to apply pressure. Let the product to do its job. A granular exfoliator will work, but ideally you’ll want to use a chemical exfoliant. A chemical exfoliant will contain something like salicylic acid to gently breakdown the dead skin and clear the debris that may still reside on the surface of your skin. 
3. Cover your fingertips by wrapping them in tissue. You don’t want your nail to come in contact with your skin for several reasons. For one, you don’t want to cut the skin with your nail. And secondly, your nail can carry all sorts of bacteria that will only exacerbate the situation. The tissue will also prevent your fingers from slipping. 
4. To begin the extraction, place two fingers on either side of the pimple and gently stretch your skin. I know the first instinct is to squeeze, but if the pimple is really ready to go, you should see the contents begin to work their way out of the blemish just by performing this stretch. Squeezing the skin without a place for the contents to escape may cause the contents to go deeper underneath your skin, which can stir up further inflammation. Once the contents begin to escape, wipe away the debris to keep your skin clean and free from bacteria.
   
5. You can start to gently squeeze once the skin has opened and allowed the contents to come out. Just don’t apply too much pressure. When you no longer see the blemish releasing contents, clean up the area with an antiseptic toner or your can even cleanse the skin again. 
6. Apply an anti-acne masque or clay masque to the blemish which will naturally absorb residual contents and oil. Follow the instructions on the masque and rinse skin clean when finished. You can just apply the masque to blemish. You don’t have to apply the masque to the entire face if you don’t want to.
   
7. The final step is to treat the blemish with a blemish treatment containing benzoyl peroxide. This will further treat the blemish and ensure its demise. Use a cotton swab to apply the treatment just on the pimple - not on the surrounding area.
   

If your pimple doesn’t easily pop, don’t force it. Try again tomorrow. By going through these steps you will really speed up the life cycle of the pimple making it ready to extract.

I hope you find this guide useful. Remember: when in doubt, seek the advice of a professional that can assist you with your specific situation.

Don’t forget to email me your questions. I am here to help.

Take care of you!

Josh