No one like acne scars, but there’s a difference between sound advice and plain old paranoia. Reading some of the tips out there to avoid acne scars, a number of them seem to fall into the later category.
When I say acne scars, I’m talking about real scars - the kind that stay with you. An acne blemish that leaves a red mark for 1-2 weeks isn’t really a scar. Scars are the scrapes and craters that can stay with for years, or even permanently. Chances are you’ve seen a few adults with scars left over from earlier bouts with acne, this is the type of damage that you need to be aware can happen if you’re not smart with how you treat your skin.
Let’s get this out of the way: moderate, non-cystic acne is unlikely to cause scars. Acne pustules that form close to the surface of your skin tend to leave only superficial blemishes that heal quickly. Basically, if it doesn’t take much effort to pop a zit, it’s usually not something you’ll regret later. It’s those zits that aren’t easily popped which are the ones you should really leave alone.
Unlike some may warn, simply “touching your face” or even picking at minor zits is not going to “invite acne scars”. Picking at your zits is never smart, but if the white pustule of an acne spot is directly near the surface of the skin, looking like it’s about to pop itself, there is nothing wrong with popping it. Allowing for the pore to be washed out and sterilized immediately may actually be preferable to waiting for the pustule to burst or be broken down on its own.
What does cause acne scars? Attacking acne blemished prematurely, especially deep cysts. Some acne sufferers have a sort of complex in which they search over their face, feeling for the faintly painful bumps which indicate new cysts, and try to pinch at these as soon as they find them. This is just about the worst thing you can do. The fact is, most cysts will actually go away with little effort if left alone and not irritated. Trying to force these cysts out tends to inflame the region and make the acne blemish both more noticeable and longer lasting.
Do not try and nip your zits in the bud.
If you’re going to eliminate acne spots “manually”, so to speak, the opposite is the safest route - wait until they are matured and have risen to the surface. This will also ensure less inflammation, which means your zits will be likely to be seen. Occasionally, you may find a stubborn cyst that sits just a little too deep in your skin to pop in the usual manner and refuses to go away on its own. These cysts can cause a real threat, as when a pustule has hardened and your body is not having success metabolizing it, it may leave a crater when it finally bursts out. In these cases the pore itself is far too narrow to allow the pustule passage, and a “crater” is formed as the channel of the pore actually rips at the seams to allow the large object through. In emergencies like this, the safest thing is sometimes to create a passage yourself for the pustule to exit. You can do this by using a sterilized needle and (as gently as possible) puncturing through to the pustule. If there is an exit available, a real scar is unlikely to occur. Please note that this should be done with extreme care, and if these occurrences are frequent you should seek out a dermatologist.
Tags: natural acne treatment, acne, natural skin care
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