We get it – we’ve all had a nasty zit pop up at the WORST times. And we know how tempting it can be to pick and pop until the problem is even worse! Popping, or as we like to call it, extracting, can be done safely at home with the right tools, knowledge and process.
To start, we recommend having a few tools:
- Lancets. These little tools prick open the pore in order to clear out the infection creating your blemish. You can find a box of 100 linked on our Amazon storefront.
- Tissues. Just two small squares – one on both fingers – protect the blemish from bacteria and make clean-up easy.
- A benzoyl peroxide spot treatment. This spot treatment clears out bacteria and dead skin cells from the face to unclog pores and heal acne. Zit Fix is our favorite, or our Refine Time mask is also another great option!
- An extractor tool. This double-ended tool allows you to gently extract blemishes. Here’s our favorite extractor.
Not every blemish can be safely extracted.
Let’s make sure we know what can be extracted and what we should leave alone.
Extract:
- Inflammatory pustule (what we call a “pimple”)
- Blackheads
Do NOT extract:
- Whiteheads (a.k.a. closed comedones)
- Nodules (a.k.a. cysts)
- Sebaceous filaments
Next, we always follow these steps for a successful at-home extraction:
- Cleanse the skin with a gel cleanser.
- Use a clean lancet to prick the white head of the pustule.
- When extracted properly, the lancet will slide in on its own and you shouldn’t feel anything.
- Use aesthetic wipes or clean tissues around your pointer fingers to gently apply pressure around the outside of the pustule so the infection pops right out.
- This should not take much pressure at all.
- Let the breakout recover for a few minutes, and then apply Refine Time sulfur mask to kill any bacteria that may have been left behind and calm the area.
- Remove after about 10 minutes and continue your skincare routine.
If you ever have questions or concerns about blemishes and extractions, reach out to your favorite aestheticians at SkinGloss!