Should You Pop Your Pimples? Skin Care Experts Explain What To Do

Here, we tapped skin experts to get the inside scoop on the real reasons you shouldn't pop. 

"As this bacteria breaks down the sebum, inflammatory signals come in, causing redness, swelling, and [for some] cyst formation." It's important to note while this mechanism does lead to acne, the underlying causes can vary; these include hormones, genetics, certain skin care products, and more.

While squeezing a pustule may seem tempting, the long-term effects aren't worth the momentary satisfaction. Here, a few reasons to avoid popping your pimples: 

Popping blackheads or whiteheads will likely result in these discolored spots, while attempting to pop cystic pimples could lead to deeper, concave divots in the skin. This is why even slightly squeezing cystic pimples is highly discouraged—these can and should only be treated by a derm.

A close second to the risk of scarring, according to Chung, is the risk of causing a secondary lesion. This could be in the form of a cyst or something called a pyogenic granuloma. Both of these may require surgery to remove, Chung says, making the situation much worse than when it began. 

Especially if you go to town on a pimple with dirty hands or tools, residual makeup on, or fail to deeply clean the area afterward, you run the risk of infection. Although, Chung notes that while this is always a risk when popping pimples, infection isn't super common; you're way more likely to see scars or an angrier pimple instead. 

See, if you decide to pop your pimple, more inflammation will follow. This, in combination with the now broken and possibly bleeding skin, will take longer to heal than an untouched pimple. While it may be tempting, it truly will only make matters worse. 

If you seek out professional help for a pimple, your expert may decide to perform an extraction. "Your dermatologist may utilize a comedone extractor tool to express some of the dead skin cell debris from within the pore," Suarez says. 

If you decide to see a professional, they may even suggest an alternative treatment, like steroid injections. These targeted treatments can help reduce the size of the pimple and make it go away faster, thus reducing the chance of scarring. Usually, these injections are meant for under-the-skin pimples or tender cysts.

If you are struggling with an inflammatory pimple, whether it be a pustule, papule, or cyst, there are a number of ways to ease the inflammation—without popping: 

Suarez notes that a cool compress can be helpful in reducing swelling and redness. If you don't have a specific cool-to-the-touch tool, like an ice globe, you can wrap an ice cube in a clean paper towel and hold it against the breakout. This will ensure you reap all of the benefits without shocking your skin with a freezing ice cube (which can actually make the pimple worse). 

Darden recommends layering a sulfur mask on your breakout as a spot treatment. "Sulfur is incredible because not only does it help to draw out impurities, but it's also great for calming inflammation, which is much needed with acne," she says.

You can also spot-treat a pimple with a pimple patch. "These are great for really stubborn or cystic blemishes. It's best to leave cystic acne alone otherwise to avoid causing more irritation," Darden says. Shop our favorite patches here.

There are so many different kinds of topical acne treatments. If you want to minimize the number of breakouts you're seeing, incorporating a regular acne treatment into your skin care routine is the way to go. Here, a guide to the best acne products for each type of acne so you can find the right fit. 

If you're prone to breakouts, getting regular facials designed for acne-prone skin (commonly referred to as "acne facials") may help decongest the pores and kill acne-causing bacteria from growing in the first place. The combination of extraction and high-frequency devices will help manage acne, especially if you get them regularly and tend to the skin at home with acne-focused products between sessions. 

As we mentioned before, acne comes with a long list of causes. While you may be doing everything you can at home, sometimes genetics and hormones dominate all of the DIY products and continue to cause pesky breakouts. That said, sometimes prescription-strength topicals and (when necessary) oral medications may help ease your acne once and for all—both of which require a trip to the derm.

And if you're dealing with constant breakouts, it's best to see a dermatologist to figure out the root cause of your acne and go from there. In the meantime, you can shop the best expert-backed acne treatments here.