Q. Should I pop a pimple?
A. While you are waiting for your skin to clear, it can be incredibly tempting to “take matters into your own hands”. Resist the urge! Pimple popping can backfire. It may seem simple, but should be kept to the professionals. Popping frequently results in unwanted side effects including permanent scars, discoloration, worsening of the pimple, more painful acne, and infection.
In addition to popping, over-excessive scrubbing should also be avoided. This can aggravate or worsen your acne. Be gentle with your skin.
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Q. What are the best products to treat acne?
A. The answer is very dependent on the type and severity of your acne. There are a wide variety of effective treatments, but not all products are appropriate for all. Certain acne products target different types of acne blemishes.
What I find works best is a customized and individualized skin care routine which incorporates products specific to your acne. I almost always incorporate a prescription strength retinoid combined with a benzoyl peroxide product into my regimen. If acne is more inflammatory or hormonal, I would typically add an oral prescription to the regimen. In cases of severe acne or if other treatments have failed, isotretinoin delivers wonderful results.
