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Squeeze pimples: With these 7 steps you will get used to pinching

Posted by Lara Schimweg on
Pickel ausdrücken: Mit diesen 7 Schritten gewöhnst du dir das Knibbeln ab
To break the habit of popping pimples, sometimes you need to distract yourself

Have you ever wondered: is it good to pop pimples or should I just leave them alone? And if it's good: how do I squeeze pimples properly?

You stand in front of your mirror and think: Just press once and the thing is gone and your skin looks smooth again. Such a pimple also asks us to do it with its yellow protruding head. And I could also express the little black one next to it quickly.

The closer you get your head to the mirror, the more small imperfections you will find. Before you know it, you've already started and you've been squeezing and nipping everywhere. It's just stupid that your face is anything but clean afterwards.

The pimple may be gone after you pop it, but the skin at the spot is now red and swollen. Imprints of your fingernails are still visible. Maybe you're angry about it. You hope the footprints go away quickly. And after a few hours, your skin is actually less red and swollen and the nail marks have faded a bit. I hope it's not tomorrow...

But the next morning: In the place where there was only a small blackhead - now a big inflammation that hurts. As you have already guessed.

Sometimes it looks like you've scratched all over your face. Small red dots, crusts and cracks. Several, thick inflammations have formed in the same places. And yes, there are new pimples, right next to them. There wasn't anything yesterday, was there?

Do you know such situations? Are you angry with yourself then? Then our 7 tips will help you to give up the habit of pinching and popping pimples. But first of all, let's clarify how pimples develop and why we like to press on them.

How do pimples form?

There is a short explanation in this 3 minute video in a funny comic style:
The sebaceous glands are located at the hair roots in your skin . These produce fat. Also known as sebum , this oil is like your own cream for your skin. So it's good to have a bit of fat on your skin. It protects your skin and ensures that you don't lose too much moisture. Especially during puberty, the sebaceous glands produce more fat. If dead skin cells now clog your pores, the sebum can no longer simply drain away. There is a traffic jam and this creates an elevation. A closed pimple. Please do not press on it, otherwise the pimple can quickly become inflamed. If your pimple has a small black cap, it's an open pimple. You probably also know them under the name blackheads . By the way, the black cap is just the sebum that has come into contact with oxygen. The sebum oxidizes and turns black. If you now pinch the pimple with your fingers, you would introduce bacteria into the pimple. And so a small pimple can become inflamed very quickly. It swells up, turns red and bigger. And such a real inflammation not only hurts, it also takes longer for it to go away again.

By the way, the wrong skin care can also unbalance your skin. If you use too many unnecessary products, it is pure stress for your skin . Irritants and drying alcohols can also cause pimples because your skin produces too much oil after such irritants. And too many active ingredients can overwhelm sensitive skin.

With a mild, minimalist skin care routine , your sebum can drain away much more easily and your skin will have significantly less inflammation and fewer pimples.

Why do we actually like popping pimples?

Even our ancestors, the monkeys, attached great importance to good fur care among themselves. We humans quickly develop habits - especially when they are paired with a sense of achievement. That's why it can be so hard to just let a pimple be and not press on it. Because it satisfies us when we can squeeze a sebum worm out of our skin.

And what can you do now if you have a pimple and want to pop it. Sure, you can always suppress it. However, this is exhausting and mostly difficult to keep up. So here are 7 steps that can help you if you ever feel the need to empty a pimple again.

With these 7 steps you will get used to popping pimples

Step 1: The note on the mirror

Write yourself the simple message, "Don't pop your pimples. It's not worth it!” on a piece of paper. Stick this on the mirrors you like to look in, where you get ready. From now on, whenever you look in that mirror, you will read your message to yourself.

After a while, you might not need a note anymore. Wouldn't that be nice?

If you live with other people who should not notice anything, you can simply use a sticker - for example with a smiley face.

Step 2: Reinforce your message to yourself

Tell a friend you trust about this technique. Tell her or him how much it will bring you. Tell your boyfriend or girlfriend what that does to you emotionally. Talk about how it feels not to be popping the pimples anymore. This means that you are not completely alone in your efforts. This will reinforce your own belief in sticking with your new habit.

Maybe you still miss the pressing at the beginning. That's perfectly okay. You shouldn't be ashamed of that. Be consciously happy that you are currently managing to press your pimples less or not at all. It's best to say that to yourself directly in your reflection. Nobody has to notice if you are uncomfortable.

It's totally understandable if you don't find it easy at first. It takes a while for you to learn your new habit. At some point you will stop thinking about popping pimples.

Step 3: Distract yourself when you want to pop pimples

Do you know that? Sometimes a pimple is just too pretty. You can already imagine how satisfying it will be just to say it. The feeling when the sebum bursts out of the pore.

If it should come to that and your message to yourself is not strong enough: Leave the mirror and do something else directly.

Whenever you feel like popping a pimple, put another habit in its place. Do something good for yourself: do sports, drink a cup of tea, get your favorite book or write to a friend how you are doing.

At best, you replace the old habit with a new one. It could look like this: You see a wonderful, ripe pimple that you would like to squeeze out. Step right away from the mirror, make your favorite tea. Whenever it comes over you, you can now be sure the tea is waiting for you and will keep you from squeezing.

You'll see: it works. And after the cup of tea you don't feel like popping the pimple anymore.

Step 4: Throw away the magnifying mirror

Honestly, what do we need magnifying mirrors for? It is useful if you want to do dramatic eye make-up. Otherwise it's not very helpful. No one you come into contact with on a daily basis gets as close to your skin as your magnifying mirror.

And that's the crux of the matter: With this mirror, you can feel every pore, every pimple and every blackhead enormously. In truth, everything is much smaller and you would not have noticed it in everyday life. And the other people don't really notice it.

If you don't believe that, ask your friends where you have pimples? They will probably count a lot less than you.

So either throw away the magnifying mirror or only use it if you actually use it for makeup. If you want to keep the mirror, stick a cute sticker on it. This will always remind you that you only want to use it for your makeup. Not to look at your skin meticulously and overly critically in detail.

Step 5: Treat pimples correctly

No one wants to use these methods to deny you pimples, which may end up being red, inflamed, and swollen. It was in the upper points, around the small pores that carry a little more sebum.

If you happen to have really inflamed, closed pimples, you shouldn’t pop them either. You can target them so that they open or heal faster.

You can apply skin care with zinc to your skin selectively. This reduces the inflammation over the course of a few days. If you do this regularly, you will have less inflammation in your skin.

A minimalist skincare routine can go a long way in reducing inflammation in your skin. If that's not enough, you can gently exfoliate skin. With a enzyme peeling you remove the uppermost skin cells and thus help the skin to drain the sebum out of the pores better. It is enough if you use the peeling 1-2 times a week. It can also irritate your skin if you use it too often.


If you want to make more, you can also use salicylic acid. You can use these selectively but also extensively. It ensures that your skin is flaked and the sebum in the pore is dissolved. Please keep in mind that salicylic acid can be a strong irritant to your skin . Start gently and see how your skin reacts. And please don't forget the sunscreen if you want to use these active ingredients.

Step 6: Take photos of your progress privately for you

It's important that you learn to assess inflammation. Photos can help you initially. Document the progress of your healing for yourself.

Remember: Don't take a picture like your old magnifying mirror would. Take a normal photo of yourself as other people see you every day. Because that's a lot more realistic.

This will help you notice that your new habits are showing results. Whenever you look at the old pictures, you will feel how powerful your actions are. This will make you strong and confident and will reinforce you in your new behaviors.

Step 7: Remove mature pimples with the right method


Has the "don't push" message become second nature? Do you know your skin, how is it doing and are you good at assessing your pimples? And are you also careful with active ingredients?

Then it's time to pop a pimple again.

leap of joy? - No, you don't need it. You now have your cup of tea or something else that makes you happy now.

Always see expression as the last resort. And only if the following conditions are met:
  • Your pimple is ripe
  • He is open
  • A clear yellow plug can be seen
  • The pimple tightens
  • It feels like the pimple is about to defecate
Peelings can cause a pimple to become really ripe more quickly. The top layer of skin is slightly flaked off. That's why you now have an opening from which the sebum can be emptied more easily.

The best way to do it now is to wash your hands thoroughly. Take a clean washcloth or cloth and soak it in lukewarm water. Place the warm cloth lightly on your skin and warm the area around the pimple. This will stimulate blood circulation and make it easier to remove the sebum. It's possible that the slight warmth will help the pimple to go away on its own. Of course that would be wonderful. If not: Split a handkerchief and wrap the halves around the tips of your two index fingers so you don't leave nail marks in your skin when you press. Now gently press once from above and below and then from the right and left next to the pimple to push the sebum outwards. Don't push too hard. If the sebum doesn't come out with gentle pressure and you feel like you have to press harder, the pimple isn't ripe yet. Then don't push any further or you'll be pushing the sebum inward. This would result in deeper inflammation and possibly new pimples.

Once the sebum is out, you can disinfect the small open area with some wound disinfectant. You do not need to disinfect the surrounding skin. That would only dry her out too much.

You notice: You don't just squeeze a pimple in front of the mirror in the elevator, on the train or on the bus. This requires some preparation and aftercare. This is the only way to avoid new underlays.

Bonus tip:

If you miss expressing the satisfaction after the pimple on some days when the tallow worm curls out of the pore. The feeling: yes, now I'll have you empty. Then we have a somewhat unconventional tip for the really bad days: The Pimple Picker .

This fun toy simulates popping a pimple. A small worm comes out of a rubber skin dummy if you press correctly. And don't worry, no pus or sebum will come out. The mass consists of beeswax and olive oil.

On days when the urge is too great and all other tips don't work, it might help to stop squeezing your face. Who knows, you might even find squeezing that toy so absurd or gross that you don't feel like popping pimples on your face afterwards.

If you can't get out without popping a pimple: what is skin picking?

By the way, squeezing pimples and constantly picking and scratching the skin can become a real addiction. Skin picking is a real medical condition. Affected people can't help but press on pimples. Even if the skin is already healing, they pick off the scabs again. The skin hardly gets a chance to regenerate. People who suffer from skin picking often not only feel uncomfortable with their addiction, they also suffer from constantly injured skin. Because wounds can cause scars. Such injuries on the skin lead to pain. Such an illness can also be very stressful psychologically. Do you know that about you? Jaqueline writes in her blog about her life with skin picking . You might find it helpful to check out her blog.

Also consider getting help. Feel free to talk to your doctor about it if you do suffer from skin picking. You don't need to be ashamed of it. Everyone has troublesome habits or other problems. And in the end, all that matters is that you feel better and that you can develop a suitable solution for yourself so that you feel comfortable in your own skin again.

Why you should simply accept pimples in certain phases of life


When pimples don't go away as quickly as you would like. And skin care products don't work that quickly either, then it's not the end of the world. It's annoying and annoying. Realize, however, that this will only be the case for a certain period of time.

You can continue to target your pimples, cover them up, or stand by them and give your skin the time it needs to heal.

Of course, it is not easy to accept pimples, but you can learn it: Just like the new behavior not to pick, this is also a process. that takes a while.

You may just get a pimple. Women sometimes suffer from it more, sometimes less when they get their menstruation. Even in times of stress or if you haven't eaten well enough, pimples can appear more frequently. It may be that your skin is very sensitive and reacts with a few inflammations. You may also have a skin condition that flares up, such as rosacea. If you have more pimples and pustules, don't beat yourself up.

Life isn't a straight line. It's a constant up and down. Pimples go away again. Sometimes it's faster and sometimes it takes a little longer.

Don't get stressed. Be happy about the small successes and tell yourself more often how beautiful and good you think you are. Because you are! Whether with or without inflammation in the face!

Tell yourself every day in your reflection what you like about yourself. This will make you strong. This is not only good for your skin but also for your psyche.

Enjoy your skin care and see it as a good thing. This is time for you that you take.

Stop saying you take care of your skin because you want to get rid of inflammation and pimples. Sounds much better: I know what is good for me and my skin. And I'm glad I learned how to deal with it. Or what do you mean?

In the future, yours might look like this:

Now, my nightly skin care routine is no longer a must. I'm rather happy that I know what I can do and enjoy the time and appreciation that I can finally give myself. On some days, I am greeted by one or two small pimples. But that's okay. 'Cause I'm more than just my pimples. And if you do have a longing for popping pimples, you can video of dr Look at Pimple Popper . But be careful: The pimples that are expressed and treated here are real cases for medicine. It's good to know that it's not so bad that you occasionally have a small pimple, which fortunately disappears on its own.

So let's go into your new positive life. With a good attitude towards yourself.

You can do that! You are on the right way.

One healthy minimalistic skin care can support you Most of it will come from you though.

how do you deal with pimples

Do you find it hard not to squeeze? Tell us and write us your stories and your feelings in the comments?
Lara Schimweg

about the author

Lara Schimweg is the founder of Xeno . She studied sports science and health research and is a trained health worker. Lara has rosacea and very sensitive skin.

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