Self Extracting? Just Say No!

Popping your own pimples always seems like a good idea in the moment, but everyday we see the fallout from pimples that have been self extracted, picked and popped. Most commonly, you are left with a very dark or red spot, or even a scab. We call these marks “post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation”, and it can take months or even YEARS to go away without the assistance of chemical peels designed for acne scars.

And the marks that are often referred to as “pits” or “craters”, picking too deeply can leave you with those. Permanently. (Unless you elect to undergo plastic surgery or laser resurfacing treatments.)

But beyond the cosmetic effects of popping your own pimples is the overall affect it has on your acne. Squeezing a pimple damages the follicle wall that lies deep within your skin, which then encourages further inflammation and breakouts in the picked-at area. That same pimple can return to haunt you again and again because the follicle wall has been compromised. Or a cluster of pimples can form in the area.

To rid your face of a nagging blemish, we recommend applying ice to the lesion for a few minutes twice a day. That will reduce swelling and redness, and will assist in healing the pimple from the inside out.

But your best solution? Schedule an appointment with us! Whether it’s just for a quick cleansing and extracting session, or for a full series of acne treatments to get control of your breakouts once and for all. We can remove the dead skin cells and oil from the follicle without damaging the follicle wall or spreading the bacteria that acne thrives on. And even better, we can send you home with the products necessary to keep acne at bay.

Break the cycle and just say no to picking! Please?