We are often told that popping your pimple is bad and… it’s partly true! Popping a pimple can leave marks or pigment spots, or even accentuate the proliferation of bacteria on the skin… In short, make your case worse, which is what you don’t want. Despite the warnings of professionals, many deviate from the rule and go so far as to make it a TikTok trend, under the name “pimple popping”. So even if it means rebelling and popping your button, 20 minutes teaches you how to do it well and under what conditions.
Pierce your pimple, the new trend on social networks
Some find it disgusting, others satisfying, whatever the trend is, and on TikTok, the hashtag #Pimplepopping has billions of views. Accounts are even dedicated to this type of content. This is the case of the page of dermatologist Sandra Lee, under the nickname “drpimplepopper”, which brings together a community of 16.6 million subscribers on the Chinese social network. Psychotherapist Assa Djelou explains to 20 minutes, that there is “a hypnotizing side” to these videos. This actually comes down to the cognitive aspect, because our “thought is stuck” on a single objective, the bursting of the pimple. And when the goal is achieved, the pleasure hormones come into play.
In addition to the entertaining aspect, this trend also highlights the fact that many people are looking to know how to pierce the pimples that bother them. Amélie Desazars, co-founder of the brand dedicated to adult acne Skin and Outeven entrusts 20 minutes that 81% of people in their community admit to regularly piercing their pimples, despite the general veto.
Everything you need to know to pop a pimple safely
So, can you pop your pimple legally? Yes and no. In reality, not all buttons need to be pierced. We explain everything to you in four steps.
- Choose your target Only matured white buds are eligible for “pimple popping”, i.e. those with a “head” with a white tip. You should therefore not touch red spots, mycrocysts or blackheads. “This could aggravate inflammation or leave marks on the skin,” warns Amélie Desazars. For microcysts, it is best to turn to a dermatologist for skin cleansing or acne treatment, and to a beautician to remove blackheads.
- Drill the button There are two possible methods here. The softest: place a healing patch on the skin. “Thanks to hydrocolloid technology, the dressing patch will absorb the contents of the pimple,” explains the founder of Skin and Out before continuing: “in addition to being anti-inflammatory, the patch will also help keep the pimple in the middle. moist, which is conducive to good healing of the skin. For the most courageous: we pierce the button with a disinfected needle to remove the pus. It’s less dramatic than it sounds, rest assured. Simply pierce the head of the pimple, then with the help of two compresses (to avoid touching with your fingers), squeeze the edges of the open pimple to evacuate the pus. As soon as you see blood, it’s a sign that there is no more fluid, mission accomplished.
- Disinfect the pierced button This is the essential step if we want to avoid bacterial proliferation: disinfection. But not just anyhow. Amélie Desazars recommends using a compress (not cotton which tends to leave residue) and a solution based on hydrogen peroxide, then gently tapping on the affected area. “You should always disinfect your needle and the open button but never with alcohol. It’s too strong for the skin and could irritate it,” she warns.
- Treat the skin In order to support the healing process and prevent the formation of a scab, healing cream or gel is applied as a poultice. Because remember: “a pierced pimple will heal better in a humid environment”. Neither seen nor known, in the morning you can use a transparent healing patch like those from Skin and Out or Pixi.