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Isabelle Gallay (dermatologist)
Not very elegant but very present on TikTok, the trend of #Pimplepopping consists of popping your acne spots… in front of the camera. But isn’t it risky to tweak your buttons like that? We asked our dermatologist what rules to follow.
Popping a pimple can lead to infection problems as well as marks on the skin. And yet, we often find it difficult to resist this temptation. Especially when one of them seems very “mature”. So much so that a new trend is emerging (also) on TikTok: #Pimplepopping.
Pimple popping, when popping your pimple is a satisfying act
On one of the youngest’s favorite social networks, the hashtag #Pimplepopping has become trendy to the point of having millions of views. It consists of showing the extraction of a pimple in front of the camera and in close-up. Dermatologists experienced in social networks like Drpimperpopler Or Dermdoctor have also gotten into the habit of commenting on the most impressive extractions. Unsavory? Certainly (and not to watch at mealtime). But the act itself seems liberating for some.
On 20 minutes, psychotherapist Assa Djelou explains that there is “a hypnotizing side to these videos. This actually relates to the cognitive aspect, because our “thought is blocked” on a single objective, the bursting of the pimple. And when the goal is reached, the hormones pleasure comes into play.
Drill a button safely, instructions for use
But the trend also reveals another aspect of our daily lives: many of us need to have clear skin, annoyed by an imperfection that can sometimes be inflamed. This is not a reason to do anything: the risk of infection when you touch your pimples with your fingers is real, as is the risk of scarring.
Can you pierce your own buttons? “Yes but not all and not just anyhow” answers Dr Isabelle Gallay, dermatologist and vice-president of the National Union of Dermatologists.
- The first thing to know is that you don’t press all the buttons: “Only open comedones mainly, or blackheads when material (pus and scales) comes out easily. The same goes for pustules when a yellowish pus is ready to drain.” Closed comedones (small cysts under the skin) need to be opened by a professional, just as nothing will come out of red, inflammatory papules, most often painful.
- Regarding the method, two options are available to you: applying a healing patch, this is the gentlest method to “absorb” a small pimple without trauma. “It can be extracted cleanly between 2 compresses on the skin and with well-disinfected hands” insists our expert.
- Finally, once the pimple is pierced it is important to disinfect by tapping the area using a compress impregnated with hydrogen peroxide (alcohol is too aggressive on the skin) and to apply a healing cream to allow it to the skin to heal itself.
“In all cases, the best is not to touch your pimples, and to rely on a dermatologist who will certainly offer, alongside the treatment, skin cleansing when necessary.” concludes Dr. Gallay.
Slide: How to distinguish different skin diseases?