Blind pimples are usually not positioned near the skin's surface, which means that they cannot be “popped” like whiteheads. Trying to pop a blind pimple can result in permanent scars, a more-noticeable pimple, the pimple becoming more painful, or an infection.
That can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollen and infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring. "It's best to let a pimple run through its life span," Rice says. Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
Because popping isn't the way to go, patience is the key. Your pimple will disappear on its own, and by leaving it alone you're less likely to be left with any reminders that it was there. To dry a pimple up faster, apply 5% benzoyl peroxide gel or cream once or twice a day.
But most blind pimples go away in a week or two. If you have several blind pimples or you continue having pain or inflammation, talk to your healthcare provider. You may have a type of acne that requires treatment from a dermatologist. Never squeeze or try to pop a blind pimple.
What does a blind pimple look like? As the name suggests, you usually can't see a blind pimple. That said, you might be able to feel a small, firm bump if you run your (clean!) fingers over the surface of your skin.
Pimples You Should Never Pop
Any red pimple without a white head: These pimples are not yet close enough to the surface of the skin to be drained. Big, inflamed, deep blemishes: These could be nodular breakouts and cysts. You should never squeeze this type of acne because the core of the pimple is too deep in the skin.
With pustules, your body may be able to slowly absorb and break down the pus without treatment. The pustule may also drain naturally, eventually shrinking and drying up. Smaller abscesses near the surface of the skin may also do the same, but larger ones or those inside the body most often needed to be drained.
Pustules are a type of pimple that contains yellowish pus. They are larger than whiteheads and blackheads. Pustules appear either as red bumps with white centers or as white bumps that are hard and often tender to the touch. In many cases, the skin around the pustules is red or inflamed.
Bacteria can enter the skin pores and get trapped along with the oil and skin cells. The skin reaction causes swelling deep in the skin's middle layer (the dermis). This infected, red, swollen lump is an acne cyst.
This can worsen your infection. If your abscess won't open and drain on its own, you'll need the help of your provider to open it. You shouldn't attempt to drain multiple abscesses at the same time. It's often too painful to drain them all at once.
If ignored, cysts can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks to go away by themselves. Although your body will eventually deal with the inflammation, some cysts can persist for extended periods of time and often leave behind scars.
Warm compresses and acne stickers can help to bring a pimple to a head so that the sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria can exit to the skin's surface. Using ice can relieve inflammation. If blind pimples occur frequently or are particularly inflamed and painful, a person should seek advice from a dermatologist.
The absolute best, most effective way to treat a blind pimple is via cortisone shot, which a dermatologist can directly inject into the pimple to reduce inflammation and help shrink the zit within hours.
One of the worst things you can do is try and pop or continue to touch a blind pimple, this will only make the area more irritated and can lead to infection or scarring. Once you have cleansed and applied products, ensure you leave the area alone.
While ice can help reduce symptoms of an inflamed pimple, heat works well on noninflamed, blind pimples. A blind pimple is a type of closed comedo that develops in the deep layers of the skin. This type of acne occurs when a plug of sebum and dead skin cells trap oil, bacteria, and dirt deep within a hair follicle.
Do pimples heal faster when they are popped? It may seem like popping a whitehead makes it clear up faster, but that's not necessarily true. Popping a pimple may clear up the visual signs of a pimple, but it causes damage to the tissue and often makes it look worse.
Although it might feel good to pop a pimple, dermatologists advise against it. Popping a pimple can cause infection and scarring, and it may make the pimple more inflamed and noticeable. It also delays the natural healing process. Due to this, it is usually best to leave pimples alone.