Oh yes, I love spot popping! I also love hearing people’s responses when I ask ‘Do you pop your spots?’. Our immediate reaction is usually to confess quietly under our breathe as if we’ve committed the ultimate skincare sin, but in truth, I’m pretty sure most of us do it!
You’ll hear very mixed advice about extracting blemishes. Some will advise against it completely however, lots of us skincare experts agree that under the right circumstances, it’s perfectly ok.
Here are my guidelines on how to safely and effectively pop your spots.
SIDE NOTE: Do not attempt to pop papules or nodules. These are the hard, usually sore, red lumps that sit under the surface of the skin and can appear at more hormonal times of the month. You will never be able to pop these and only make them more sore and inflamed. Look for whiteheads only! Proceed with caution and at your own risk
Step 1: Clean the area. Clean everything! Never attempt to squeeze a breakout in the bathroom mirror at work, you’ll only spread the bacteria and actually draw attention to it. The best spot popping time is in the evening, after a bath/shower to open your pores and when your face is fully cleansed. Wash your hands thoroughly too!
Step 2: You will need some toilet paper (oh the glamour!), an acidic toner or cleanser and an oil/moisturiser. Once you have located the spot, wrap a square of toilet paper around each index finger. Using the pads of your fingers only (never use your nails, you risk breaking the skin!) gently apply pressure either side of the spot to lift and extract it. If the blemish does not instantly pop, STOP, it’s not ready yet and you’ll do more harm than good!
Step 3: Yay the spot is out. Stop squeezing when the liquid turns from white to pink (nice!)…If you can see any blood, STOP, you’ve gone further than you needed to.
Step 4: Take a cotton pad and apply either an acidic toner or a small amount of acidic cleanser (some form of AHA/BHA is perfect). Apply the pad to the area with pressure to help soothe it. The longer you can press, the better.
Step 5: Once any weeping or bleeding has subsided, we’re going to treat ourselves to a little massage. Get a small amount of facial oil or moisturiser and massage directly onto the area of concern. You need a good, firm pressure again to help speed up the healing process and prevent the area becoming clogged with bacteria. If you wanted to you could apply a spot treatment instead, however this tends to over-dry the area and cause more inflammation. Treating it delicately is recommended.
Step 6: Complete the rest of your skincare routine and DO NOT pick, scratch or irritate the area. Simply wish it well and put your skin to bed.
So just to clarify…We’re only popping spots with visible whiteheads (or blackheads are safe too!). We’re ensuring everything is perfectly clean beforehand to prevent the spreading of bacteria and treating the area gently after extraction. We’re never doing this in the mirror at work, never using our nails and never, ever attacking a spot that doesn’t pop straight away. It’ll let you know when it’s ready.
I hope you enjoyed this slightly gruesome post…we’re bang on trend for Halloween! If you’ve got any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to send them over, I’m always more than happy to help.
Happy Spot Popping!
Amy x
Speak to Amy:
T. 07464273784
Book your Consultation:
コメント