Protecting Your Skin After Popping Zits
No matter how much people hear about how picking at or popping zits is a bad idea, it’s still going to happen - and the fact is, this isn’t always such a dangerous thing for your skin. As long as the white of an acne pustule is clearly visible and very near the surface of the skin, gently forcing it out can be done without the risk of scarring (scars usually occur when acne sufferers try to pop acne pustules prematurely). But after you pop a zit, what then? What steps should you take to protect your skin, quickly reduce swelling, and avoid the prospect of acne returning to that area?
The first mistake to avoid is immediately wiping off the area with a tissue or towel. Some bacteria is usually still present in the wound, and combined with the effects of inflammation, applying a tissue to the area immediately may push bacteria back into the pore and cause it to become clogged. Before anything else, you should rinse the area and allow any contents to be flushed out. After rinsing, gently pat the area dry.
Which cleanser or treatment you apply will typically depend upon the size of the pustule or cyst. If it is a larger cyst that leaves a large inflamed bump, the best topical treatment to follow with is Neosporin. This antibiotic ointment will kill existing bacteria, but also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects to quickly reduce redness and swelling. For smaller, less serious acne spots, a powerful antibiotic like Neosporin is overkill. With less swelling, your main concern should be to simply eliminate bacteria in the wound. There are a number of spot-treatment products that can do this, but the solution I recommend is 100% tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural extract with strong antibacterial effects comparable to benzoyl peroxide, but typically less drying. Apply a small dab of tea tree oil to the wound and let dry to protect against acne returning in the same spot.
