Many of us have our own icky, totally private body habits—like nail biting and occasional nose picking. But popping a zit is in a league of its own. The thing is, while other behaviors are unsanitary, squeezing a pimple, as dermatologists always remind us, could have health repercussions, potentially leading to infection and scarring.
So why do so many people secretly get something out of zit-popping?
Courtesy of giphy.com
First, consider the simple truth that when you’re sporting a whitehead, blackhead, or any other blemish on your face, you’re usually super self-conscious of it; all you can think about is how everyone is noticing it (even though they probably aren’t). The anxiety drives you to squeeze, says Nada Elbuluk, M.D., dermatologist at the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center. “This is the reason many of my patients give me when they confess to popping a pimple, despite knowing it was risky,” says Elbuluk.
Yet another factor might be at work here: the mysterious but not uncommon compulsion to pick at a body part. Elbuluk points out that some people are fixated on pulling hair or chipping away at a scab, and the same urge seems to drive zit-popping. Of course, that doesn’t mean the average person who squeezes a whitehead has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). But there is something a little compulsive about the singular focus to force pus out of a blemish.
RELATED: 5 Essential Steps to Treating Adult Acne
From a medical standpoint, you should resist the urge to pop, and instead go with over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid products to clear up a breakout. It’s also wise to check in with a dermatologist for prescription meds (and eat foods that make your skin clear and glowy).
However, if you’re hell-bent on popping, Elbuluk advises dabbing the just-popped pimple with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid formula, which will help ward off an infection. If the whitehead does become red and tender, it could be infected, and Elbuluk suggests seeing a derm for an antibiotic ointment Rx to promote healing.
Wondering why you’re still dealing with acne, even though you graduated high school when boy bands were trendy? Here are four reasons.
RELATED: 10 Tips for Acne-Prone Skin
Powered by WPeMatico
No comments:
Post a Comment