Popping a pimple has long been considered as bad skin care practice. However, we understand how hard it was to resist the temptation of those juicy, red pimples. (We also can’t!) Mistakes happen, but how do we take care of the aftermath? How should you clean the area? Can you put acne patch on popped pimple? Is it too late?
In this article, we’ll find out if you should put acne patch on popped pimples, learn more about the aftercare of popped pimples, best way to care for them, and how to avoid popping them in the first place.
How acne patch work on popped pimple
Let’s get this straight first. There are mainly 2 types of acne patch in the market, hydrocolloid and micro-vector acne patch.
Hydrocolloid acne patch is good for absorbing acne fluid and flattening the irritated area. While micro-vector acne patch uses self-dissolving hyaluronate (or other active ingredients) microneedle and directly deliver it to the root cause of pimple, curing the pimple once and for all.
5 Reasons you shouldn’t popped pimple
1. Risk of scarring
Popping pimple when it is not ready, or when it’s a cyst, can cause trauma to the skin, leading to more inflammation and more likely to scarring.
2. Caused of infection and inflammation
When you pop the pimple with your finger, the risk of bacteria on your fingers transferring to the open wound is very high. This can result in infection and inflammation in the affected area.
3. Spread of bacteria
After popping the pimple, the pus and bacteria can leak from the wound onto the surrounding area, which can lead to new pimples in the nearby area.
4. Delayed Healing
The body's natural healing process can be hindered by the disruption caused during the popping.
5. Recurrent pimples
It is possible to get a pimple at the same spot if you’ve tried to squeeze it, but it hasn’t completely evacuated all the acne fluids.
How to pop pimple right
As we’ve been talking about, it is not recommended to pop pimples, as it can lead to a lot of future skin problems. However, if you feel the need to do it, here’s how to pop your pimple with minimum risk.
Cleanse the area
Wash your hands with soap and water. Cleanse the skin around the pimple thoroughly with a cleanser.
Use the right tools
Don’t touch the pimple directly with your hands, use the right tools such as a sterilized needle or a comedone extractor, ensure they are clean and sterile. Then gently pierce the pimple from the side with needle. Only do this if the pimple has come to the head and is ready to be drained.
Squeeze with cotton swabs
Take some cotton swabs, press them on the sides of the pimple. Apply pressure to make the pimple release all the pus or acne fluid. Don’t press too hard, if the pus doesn’t come out easily, you should wait until it looks ready.
Cleanse again
After you get all the pus out, cleanse the area gently again. Make sure the wound is clean from bacteria or debris.
Apply pimple patch
This step is not a must, but you should consider using the hydrocolloid pimple patch after, so it can act as a protective barrier over the pimple and may help absorb the excess fluids.
After care for popped pimple
Since popped pimples can get infected easily, it's important to follow a careful and hygienic approach to minimize the risk of infection and promote effective healing. Here's what you should do.
Make sure everything is clean
It’s most important to keep the skin around the popped pimple clean, since bacteria can easily go in the open wound and infect the area.
Don’t touch the area
Refraining from touching the pimple with your fingers. No squeezing or picking around the affected area. You can also use pimple patch to prevent anything touching the pimple, but also note that leaving it on the sensitive skin for a long time might lead to irritation or dryness.
Avoid makeup
Makeup can introduce additional bacteria to the popped pimple, it would be better to let the skin breath freely and naturally healing.
No direct sunlight
The affected skin around popped pimple can be sensitive at first, direct sunlight and UV rays can cause serious problems to it. So, you should avoid going out in the direct sun or wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
Monitor for signs of infection
Keep an eye on the popped pimple, if you can spot redness, swelling, or the presence of pus, seek professional medical advice promptly.
It is not advised to pop the pimple, since it can lead to infection and potential scarring. Although, if you feel like it’s ready to pop, keeping the skin clean and refraining from touching the pimple directly with your fingers are the most important steps. An acne patch on popped pimple can act as a protective barrier, preventing additional bacteria from entering the wounds and keeping your hands from touching it. But for serious and large cystic acne, it is not recommended to pop it at all, consultation with a dermatologist should be prioritized as a first step.
