Pimple Facts & Treatments
Skin lesions
Lesions – are structural changes in the tissue. Any mark or abnormality would be considered a lesion. There are primary, secondary and tertiary lesions.
Vesicle – is a small blister or sac containing clear fluid. Poison ivy would be a vesicle.
Bulla – is a large blister containing watery fluid, similar to a vesicle but larger.
Papule – is a pimple; small elevation on the skin that contains no fluid but may develop puss.
Pustule – is an inflamed papule with a white or yellow center containing puss.
Cyst – is a closed sac containing fluid, infection or other matter above or below the skin.
Macule – is a flat discoloration on the skin such as a freckle.
Tubercle – is an abnormal rounded, solid lump, larger than a papule.
Question:
I know popping your pimples is bad, my Esthetician always tells me to just leave it. But I can’t help myself, any advice or tips on how to properly extract a pimple?
Answer:
Well yes, your Esthetician was right in telling you to leave it. In most cases this is the best bet. If you read the above types of lesions, the only one that is truly ’poppable’ is a pustule. These are the ones we see with a very obvious white or yellow head. Best to do it after a shower when your skin is warm and pliable. The warmth of the shower opens up your pores and start to soften the trapped sebum by the heat alone. Get a tissue and double wrap it around your two index fingers. This will stop spillage of sebum onto your skin which could cause another skin irritation if left, especially since your pores are all open.Then do the opposite than what most people want to do. Place your fingers around pustule and press DOWN! Not up! If it does not come out right away it was not ready to pop. It should never be a struggle. Apply a toner or wipe area with cotton swab and apply appropriate pimple cream if using one.
