Leave These 7 Types of Bumps and Blemishes Alone
As tempting as it may be to pick at that
unsightly zit on your face, skin-care experts agree that when it comes
to bumps and blemishes, a hands off approach is your best bet. Popping a
zit causes your skin to break apart, making it vulnerable to infection
and permanent damage like scarring and broken blood vessels. So, keep
your complexion fresh and flawless with these handy tips:
Ingrown hair
As frustrating as ingrown hairs may be, it
is not worth picking at them. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair shaft
becomes trapped beneath the skin's surface. The red bumps that follow
tend to be itchy and inflamed, though using tweezers or manual force to
pluck them out will break the skin, can lead to further inflammation and
infection. At times, doing so may also lead to dangerous complications
like a staph infection or sepsis (bacteria that can cause a multitude of
diseases) further down the road.
Treat it: Apply hydrocortisone, which reduces redness, itchiness and
irritation, and wash the affected area with an exfoliating cleanser,
helping the hair reach the skin's surface.
Milia
Tiny white bumps are often known as milia. They appear on your face and
refuse to pop no matter how hard you try. These bumps often appear to be
hard, white cysts under the skin, so much so that picking at them has
little to no effect. In fact, trying to pop milia will only leave your
skin red, irritated and inflamed. The difference between this kind of
pimple, compared to others, is that milia is not actually dirt, oil or
grime, but trapped skin cells.
Treat it: Schedule an appointment with your dermatologist who will most
likely extract it with a heated sterilized tool.
Keratosis Pilaris
Better known as chicken skin, this skin condition occurs as a build-up
of the protein keratin (which protects the skin, hair and nails from
infection and other harmful environmental toxins. The buildup forms a
plug that blocks the opening of a hair follicle. Picking at the lesions
can cause it to worsen and increase effects like redness and the
potential for scarring as well.
Treat it: Use a chemical exfoliant that contains salicylic acid or
glycolic acid, which will help calm inflammation down. If it doesn't go
away, be sure to visit a dermatologist.
Touching these pesky bumps can cause them
to spread, leading to the formation of another sore. Popping them also
releases a blister-like fluid that contains the same virus, which can
spread to other areas. As irritating as they may be, these blisters are
caused by the herpes simplex virus which can be transmitted from one
area of the body to another, through touching.
Treat it: Small sores generally heal over time with over-the-counter
treatments. However, if you notice cold sores that are more frequent or
spreading, seek professional treatment. Bear in mind that until the cold
sore has become dormant, avoid kissing anyone, including your
significant other.
Cystic Acne
This type of pimple forms a red, tender nodule that is both painful and
hard to treat. The inflammation that accompanies cystic acne can hinder
the healing process, leading to permanent scarring that is difficult to
eliminate.
Treat it: To treat the situation properly and eliminate scarring book an
appointment with your dermatologist.
Blackheads
While blackheads are not as unsightly as red and inflamed spots, they
can cause havoc on our complexion, especially when they colonize in
pairs or groups. Just like whiteheads, blackheads are pores that become
clogged with oil - except that the oil has oxidized after being exposed
to the air, giving it a black or brownish hue. Squeezing blackheads
forces the bacteria even deeper, causing trauma to the skin.
Treat it: Work the oil and dirt out of your face by using an exfoliating
face wash.
Whiteheads
While whiteheads may seem pretty easy to
pick at, when squeezed whiteheads release a mix of acne bacteria, oil
and skin cells. Therefore a tiny pop can result in spreading that
bacteria throughout your face. Picking at a whitehead also forces the
bacteria deep into your skin and it can also transfer more bacteria from
your fingers to your face.
Treat it: Allow the acne to clear on its own. Your body knows how to
repair this damage by producing collagen - a substance that gives the
skin support.