Acne once again trying to ruin your life? It’s time to tackle this problem. To get started, go to the mirror and carefully examine the intruders. The first step towards getting rid of annoying rashes is to determine exactly what you are dealing with.
So here is what we can see:
Uninflamed acne is a clogged hair follicle filled with sebum. Their size does not exceed 1-2 mm, and outwardly such formations are similar to black or white dots:
- Black spots. These are clogged hair follicles, the mouth of which is expanded and covered by horny masses, like a cork. That is, such a formation consists of secretions of the sebaceous glands and dead skin cells. At the same time, the horn plug is black, but not from dirt, as is commonly believed, but from the chemical reaction of tyrosine with oxygen, which results in the formation of melanin (black pigment).
- White nodules. These are clogged hair follicles, the mouth of which, on the contrary, is narrowed or closed. The white color is due to the acne content translucent through the skin (sebum).
Inflamed acne is characterized by red color and larger sizes (from a few millimeters to 1-2 cm), often are filled with pus.
- Small red acne. Their size does not exceed 0.5 cm. After resolving such acne, small scars may remain. Papules have the appearance of a red inflamed nodule and are formed as a result of the body’s immune response to bacteria.
- Large red knot. In fact, the same as a small pimple, but noticeably larger (more than 0.5 cm.). It is formed as a result of rupture of a capsule of a small acne (often after trying to squeeze it out), which leads to the release of contents into the deeper layers of the dermis and the development of inflammation. Often, after the resolution of such acne, scars remain.
- Vial with purulent contents (pustule). It is formed as a result of the active activity of bacteria, leading to the formation of pus, which consists of dead microorganisms and protective cells (lymphocytes) of a person. Outwardly, this pimple is a kind of symbiosis of a white nodule and red papule, that is, you will see a bubble with pus rising above the skin, around which there is a scarlet halo of inflammation.
If you have a significant part of your skin affected (forehead, temples, cheeks, nose, nasolabial folds, chin), neck, upper chest and back, if most acne is inflamed (and there are more than 40), then the problem is more serious than it might seem first glance. In this case, the article “Acne is not a reason for jokes” is at your service , from which you will learn about the causes of acne and the necessary treatment. As for the light rashes that periodically bother almost every person, you can try to get rid of them yourself. The main rule: do not squeeze acne! Dermatologists shout about it very loudly, for a long time and, unfortunately, to no avail. Even those patients who are well aware that, having squeezed out a pimple, only provoke the development of infections and inflammation, still continue to do this. Meanwhile, the pressure that you put on the papule leads to a breakthrough under the skin of the capsule with pus. The contents “spills” into the deeper layers of the dermis and promotes the spread of the disease, and the resulting wound literally “attracts” bacteria and infections. How to open a pimple. If the situation is critical, then you can still open the pimple (just open it, not squeeze it out!). It is important to know that such an operation is allowed to be done only with acne that rises above the surface of the skin (that is, inflamed). Manipulation requires a certain patience and composure, so if you are not confident in yourself, it is better to entrust the painstaking work to a specialist. At home, you must:
- Wash the hands
- Disinfect the skin around the acne (iodine, any alcohol solution or antiseptic from the pharmacy is suitable)
- Take a disposable sterile needle (from the packaging with syringes)
- Open the pimple by making a sliding puncture (in no case do not insert the needle deep into it – pick up with it only the topmost layer of skin). The needle must be inserted in the direction from the lower lateral surface of the pimple to its center to ensure the outflow of pus. After you pick up the skin with a needle – tear it, thereby opening the papule. Now the blocked time is open, and the pus will easily come out without causing inflammation.
- Disinfect the skin around the pimple again.
Do not forget that the face is an area with abundant blood flow, and awkward actions can easily provoke infection and other complications. If you are afraid to open a pimple, consult a dermatologist.
How to remove pus without opening an acne? Sometimes it happens that a pimple with purulent contents does not want to come to the surface and “hides” inside the skin without rising above it. Such an education cannot be opened, but it is still necessary to remove accumulated contents from it. Here are some ways:
- You can use iodine. If you apply it with a cotton swab on a pimple, then the inflammation will go away within 3-4 days.
- If the apartment has such a plant as aloe, then you can use a piece of its cut sheet. Remove the green peel on one side so that the pulp is exposed, attach the sheet with that side to the pimple, secure with a patch with a strip of bactericidal gauze. It is best to leave a “compress” for the night, as in this case you will feel significant relief in the morning.
- From 1 to 5 days it will be required to “lure” the pus with the help of Vishnevsky ointment (it has an unpleasant odor). The ointment must be applied to a pillow from a sterile bandage, which is then applied to an acne and fixed with a plaster.
Helpful hints:
- Use cleanser, which is marked “for oily and problem skin.”
- Wash your face after washing not with a towel, but with disposable paper towels to prevent re-infection with bacteria.
- Use retinoids for external use (Differin, Retinoic ointment).
- Consult a doctor about taking antibiotics (erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline).
- For girls, a gynecologist’s consultation and the possible use of oral contraceptives that reduce the level of male sex hormones are useful (and this is the main provocateur of acne).