How to Pop a Pimple

Medically reviewed by Mohiba Tareen, MD

Last Updated: October 22, 2023 Approved

It is rarely a good idea to pop pimples, since doing so can cause scars or worsen your breakout. If you must pop a pimple, the best way to prevent damage is to use a needle. Alternatively, applying a wet rag can gently remove a whitehead. Using your hands to squeeze the pimple is not recommended, but can be done if the other methods seem too labor-intensive.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Determining Whether a Pimple Can Be Popped

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Whitehead pimples have usually been around for a few days, and they have a white tip where pus has collected underneath the skin. These pimples are easy to pop, and when treated with care they can be safely removed without spreading the infection or causing scarring.^{[1]
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Pimples that have just appeared in the past day or two aren't ready to pop yet. Wait until the whitehead appears at the tip of the blemish.^{[2]
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This could worsen your pimple by sending bacteria deeper into your skin. Popping a pimple this big will almost definitely lead to a scar. Only a pimple with white pus is ready to pop.^{[3]
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4
Visit a dermatologist. Dermatologists can determine the best way to treat your acne.^{[4]
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Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} They can prescribe creams that will eliminate your pimples. There are also several procedures they can perform that can treat severe breakouts.^{[5]
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American Academy of Dermatology
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- The most commonly prescribed dermatologist treatment is a topical cream, rubbed on the pimples, that will remove oil from the skin and kill acne-causing bacteria.
- For red, swollen pimples an oral antibiotic, hormonal birth control, or isotretinoin might be prescribed.^{[6]
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- Large acne cysts can be removed by dermatologists through drainage and extraction, in which they remove the cyst and drain out the pus.
- Your dermatologist can safely lance the pimple with a pin. This is a technique that should only be done by professionals.
- Laser therapies and chemical peels can treat the underlying causes of acne, although they will not remove current cysts.
5
Limit pimples by washing regularly. Pimples are caused by sweat sitting on your face. Anytime you sweat, wash your face gently with lukewarm water to remove dirt and grime. Do not be harsh or scrub, just wash off sweat.^{[7]
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- Scrubbing roughly or over-washing can damage your skin and worsen acne.^{[8]
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  Mohiba Tareen, MD
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  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}
- Do not use rough cleaners, like astringents, toners, or exfoliants.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Prepping Your Hands and the Pimple

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1
Wash your hands. This will prevent bacteria from spreading to your face. Wash thoroughly, especially underneath the nails, and use plenty of soap and warm water. You'll want to avoid touching the pimple with your finger nails, but just in case you do, having them clean will reduce the likelihood of irritation and infection.^{[9]
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- Consider using a fingernail brush to get dirt out from under your fingernails.
2
Cover your hands. Put on disposable gloves just before you're ready to pop the pimple. Not only will this put a barrier between any remaining bacteria on your fingers (and in your fingernails) and your skin, but it will also prevent the sharp edges of your nails from impacting the pimple.
- If you don't have disposable gloves, you can cover your fingers with clean tissues.
3
Clean the skin surrounding the pimple with a face cleanser or rubbing alcohol. Only use a gentle cleanser so you don't damage or irritate your skin.^{[10]
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Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} Apply the cleanser to a cotton ball and spread it. When you pop the pimple, you'll be opening the skin, creating a way for bacteria to enter. The pimple will heal faster if you don't give bacteria a chance to settle in and create a new or worse infection.
- Don't scrub the area too hard, or you'll irritate it further. Gently cleanse the area, rinse it with warm water, and pat it dry with a towel.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Popping a Pimple with a Pin

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Use a match or lighter to heat up and sterilize the pin. Expose every bit of the pin to fire for several seconds to kill off any bacteria.^{[11]
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Give the pin at least a minute to cool down. It should not be painfully hot when you use it to pop your pimple.^{[12]
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Apply rubbing alcohol to the pin, to your hands, and to the zit. Be sure that everything involved in the procedure is sanitized with rubbing alcohol.^{[13]
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You do not want to point the pin toward your face. Instead, you should hold it along your face, so that when you poke your pimple it won’t penetrate anything but the very tip of the pimple.^{[14]
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Do not touch anything but the white part of the zit. Penetrating the red part of the pimple will cause scarring. Instead, run the pin through the very tip of the pimple, so that it goes through one end and out the other.^{[15]
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The pin should have penetrated the length of the white tip. Pull the pin out, away from your face, so that it ruptures the white tip when you remove the pin from the pimple.^{[16]
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Do not squeeze the white top itself. Instead, squeeze the perimeter of the pimple so that it pushes out the pus. Consider squeezing with a cotton swab to avoid doing additional damage to the skin.^{[17]
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Use a cotton swab to rub the area down with alcohol and clean up bacteria. Apply a small amount of bacitracin ointment to the area.^{[18]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Popping Your Pimple With a Warm Rag

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Run water until it is warm, but not so hot that it burns you when you touch it. Run a clean wash cloth through the water until it is wet.^{[19]
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The cloth should be wet, but not dripping. Squeeze it until excess moisture has been removed.^{[20]
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Hold the washcloth against the pimple for a few minutes. Allow the wash cloth to cool down. This will bring the pus towards the surface of the pimple, preparing it to be popped.^{[21]
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4
Gently slide the washcloth against your pimple. Move your finger slightly, sliding the washcloth against the pimple. With the head loosened up, this should be sufficient to pick it up, without causing damage to the surrounding skin.^{[22]
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- This method might seem slow and arduous, but it does less damage to the skin than squeezing the pimple directly.
If the whitehead does not fall off the first time that you try this, do it again. The warmth and moisture should eventually be enough to loosen the whitehead without causing damage to your skin.^{[23]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Popping the Pimple With Your Hands

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1
Plant your fingertips around the pimple's peak. Place one clean fingertip on either side, just below the tip of the whitehead. You should be able to feel the sebum-filled area easily. After you've located the sebum-filled area, very gently wiggle your fingers together to coax the fluid out.
- If no pus comes out, position your fingertips in a slightly different place around the pimple, then try again.
- If the pus still remains in the pimple, stop trying to pop it. The pimple is not yet ready to be popped; either wait a few days or let it go away on its own.
This will encourage the remaining pus to come out; keep doing it until the pimple is completely drained. Don't touch the pimple itself, except to blot away the pus with tissues. There may be some bleeding. If you see blood, stop pushing at the pimple, and leave it alone - it will only put more pressure on the swollen area, and may cause scarring.
Again, the important thing is to make sure that new bacteria doesn't invade the opening in the skin or the surrounding pores. Also, consider applying a small amount of bacitracin ointment to protect it.^{[24]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

Is there a way to get rid of pimples without popping them?

Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist
Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.

Mohiba Tareen, MD

FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

You can always try using a benzoyl peroxide ointment or wash to dry out and shrink your blemishes.

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Question

Why do we get pimples in the first place?

Jennifer Boidy, RN
Registered Nurse
Jennifer Boidy is a Registered Nurse based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her nursing career, she also works as a Healthcare Content Strategist & Writer, helping businesses and non-profits market their products and services to healthcare provider organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare services vendors. Jennifer’s areas of expertise include pharmaceuticals & life sciences, health technology, medical devices & diagnostics, health insurance & managed care, and healthcare services & facilities. Her certification as a Registered Nurse was issued by the Maryland Board of Nursing. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Marketing and Finance. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Carroll Community College in 2012.

Jennifer Boidy, RN

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

You get acne when a pore in your skin becomes clogged with dead skin cells and oil (sebum), which becomes trapped inside the pore with bacteria that lives on your skin, called p. Acnes. As this bacteria multiplies, the pore becomes inflamed (red and swollen) forming a pimple.

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Question

Is there supposed to be blood?

Jennifer Boidy, RN
Registered Nurse
Jennifer Boidy is a Registered Nurse based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her nursing career, she also works as a Healthcare Content Strategist & Writer, helping businesses and non-profits market their products and services to healthcare provider organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare services vendors. Jennifer’s areas of expertise include pharmaceuticals & life sciences, health technology, medical devices & diagnostics, health insurance & managed care, and healthcare services & facilities. Her certification as a Registered Nurse was issued by the Maryland Board of Nursing. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Marketing and Finance. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Carroll Community College in 2012.

Jennifer Boidy, RN

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

It is normal to see blood, especially after the pus is removed. If you see blood while squeezing a pimple, discontinue squeezing it, dab the extra blood off with a tissue, and then apply some alcohol and antibacterial ointment.

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Tips

Don't scratch your pimples as you may risk getting damaged tissue and ultimately a scar.

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Don't scrape at your skin to get the pimple; that will make it worse.

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If you have a frequent problem with acne, you should mention this to your dermatologist. He/she might be able to help!

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Although popping your pimple might look beneficial at the time, in the long run it is always better to not pop it. Pimples will go away on their own, but popping them always creates the possibility that you get a scar.
Try mixing lemon juice in a small bowl of baking powder and ice. Apply the cold ice on the area of the blemish and the pimple should start to go away.
Don't try to cover your pimple with hair. Your skin needs to breathe. All you're going to do is make your pimple worse and your hair oily.
My doctor told me that if you have oily pimples, dabbing them with a little bit of alcohol will help dry them out so your skin can heal.
Remember, concealer or cover up is always an option. So long as the products you use are non-comedogenic, they won't clog your pores.

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