Although people can pop some noninflamed whiteheads and blackheads if they take the necessary precautions, they should never try to pop or extract inflamed acne. This type of acne is deeper in the skin and may be more likely to cause scarring and infection if a person tries to squeeze it.
"It's best to let a pimple run through its life span," Rice says. Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
Your pimple will disappear on its own, and by leaving it alone you're less likely to be left with any reminders that it was there. To dry a pimple up faster, apply 5% benzoyl peroxide gel or cream once or twice a day.
Whiteheads are a type of blemish common to people with acne. They occur when pores get clogged and sebum gets trapped and sebum builds up, causing a white bump to appear on the surface of the skin. Avoid popping whiteheads. This practice can spread dirt, oil, and bacteria further on the skin.
Most whiteheads go away on their own, but it may take a little time—sometimes up to seven days. It's better to see a healthcare provider at the first sign of whiteheads and follow their treatment suggestions.
Pustules are a type of pimple that contains yellowish pus. They are larger than whiteheads and blackheads. Pustules appear either as red bumps with white centers or as white bumps that are hard and often tender to the touch. In many cases, the skin around the pustules is red or inflamed.
“There are numerous remedies you can try at home to get rid of whiteheads, including over-the-counter products with ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinoids—all can be helpful,” says Barr.
Never try to pop or squeeze a blind pimple. Doing so pushes the oil and bacteria deeper, causing more inflammation and increasing the risk of infection. Picking at or squeezing a blind pimple can also lead to acne scars.
Basically, what happens if you don't pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days. It may happen that you wake up one morning and notice the pimple is gone. Or you may notice the pimple draining.
Popping pimples releases dopamine
After feeling and hearing that “pop”, some people get an immediate sensation of pleasure and relief. That's because dopamine — the happy-hormone — is released when you feel a sense of accomplishment.
Whiteheads are small, white or yellow acne bumps on your skin. They appear when a buildup of oil on the skin (sebum) mixes with dead skin cells to block off the opening of one of the pores in your skin. Because whiteheads are closed off from oxygen, the trapped sebum maintains a whiteish, yellowish color.
Milia are small cysts that form on the skin. They are also known as "milk cysts." Milia form when a protein called keratin gets trapped under the skin. The tiny bumps look like whiteheads, but they are not acne. Unlike acne, they don't develop in a pore and are not red or inflamed.
Milia (milk spots) are small, white cysts on your skin. Cysts are filled pockets under the surface of your skin. The most common place to find milia are on your face. Milia are harmless and only affect your appearance.
Nodules are a type of hard pimple that can be large and painful. They form when an infected skin pore or follicle is located deep below the skin surface. Cysts are found deep below the skin when a pus-filled membrane forms around the infection. They are likely to scar.
Pressing on pimples can force bad bacteria and pus deeper into your skin. This can lead to increased swelling and redness in the area that makes pimples more noticeable. In some cases, trying to squeeze away pimples can cause a painful infection. You can also end up with scabs or scars.
Nodular acne forms when a type of bacteria called P. acnes that live on the skin get trapped inside the clogged pore. This may lead to an infection that affects the deeper layers of the skin. The infection can cause inflammation in the deep skin layers, creating hard nodules.
Milia appear out of nowhere: a slew of tiny and painless — albeit pesky nonetheless — white bumps. They're minuscule, almost undetectable even, but you figure you'll try to pop them anyway because textured skin isn't what you're going for. But when you do give them a squeeze, nothing happens — no puss, no blood, nada.
A blind pimple, also known as cystic acne, is a pimple that lives beneath the surface of your skin and doesn't come to a head. It is often in the form of a red, painful bump beneath the skin. Blind pimples are caused by oil getting trapped beneath the skin.
Nodules. Nodular acne consists of flesh-colored or red bumps that are deep under the skin's surface. It happens when a clogged pore gets inflamed. A nodule is different from a cyst in that it doesn't have any pus, so it feels hard to the touch.