Zits- to pop or not to pop?

I've been a lifelong anti zit-popper, lol. I would rather deal with the whitehead, red blotch, or blackhead until it's worked itself out of my skin. I want to avoid any scars possible. There was an ugly whitehead on my chin this morning and it was actually painful so I popped it. Eeeek! Now it's red but at least I was able to cover it with makeup. What do you do- pop or not?

i use proactive solution, so i rarely get big zits anymore... usually just blackheads since my skin is very oily

but when i do get zits i have to pop them or else the proactive stuff just dries up the insides and they turn into black head like things.. and it take forever for them to go down to that stage anyways

id rather just pop, have one day with a red spot and have it gone right after.. i dont get scars... only dark spots when I DONT pop

also its a habit haha kinda soothing in a way, id rather have a red spot then an ugly big bump f

I pop them! pop them like the sound of pop corn. My dad jokes with me about the big ones going zing and hitting the mirror. I'm 30 and still get a few blemishes hear and there, so if you are a teenager its a lie when the dermatologist or your mother says you won't get acne when you are an adult. Yes, that Happened to me. so, pop them suckers.

I've had acne since I was about 12. I pop mine and I do get scaring. However, when I don't pop them they never seem to go away and it's harder to cover them. I do know that if you end up with a scar there are many products used to fade scaring. I haven't tried any though. I would suggest popping just because it's easier to hide afterward.

i pop. i just can't stand seeing a whitehead

I've alwaaaaaays been a popper. Even when there's nothing readily there to pop, i'll squeeze my blackheads after washing my face and get the oil out as sort of a "pre-emptive" strike against pimples! I never seem to break out except for that oooooone week a month... and, of course, around finals.

Mine are only ever on my face... thank goodness... back'ne has always kind of creeped me out 0_o Of course, no one chooses to have it - but I'm just realllllly glad that I don't have to deal with it.

*EDIT*

Oh yeah! And Neutrogena (I think) makes a GREAT medicated concealer. Like $9 for a pen of it, but it'll last a while if you're sparing with it.

Oooh! I gotta pop 'um! I usually use pin (sounds gross) just to nick the white head so it it doesn't get too irritated by the actual squeezing. Wash my face before & after then dab on some spot stuff - did use tea tree oil but recently got some Medicated Clearing Gel from Dermalogica which is amazing on them suckers! Really takes the redness down from any spots.

I'm a popper when I can. I've got a zit right under my left nostril, though, that just won't pop. And it hurts to even purse my lips so every time I kiss Brit (my husband) it hurts

Speaking of Brit, he got a pimple on his shoulder (he gets zits in the oddest places...) a few days ago. I told him he should pop it but he didn't listen to me. Today I looked at it and it was yellow on the outside with a dark spot in the middle. I popped it and it oozed with pus and he literally had a hole the size of a pinhead in his shoulder. GROSS.

Pop!

I am so grossed out when I see someone who has a big unpopped zit. I can't stop staring. Its sooo gross!

I'm going to be one of the few that goes against the grain and says that I do NOT pop.  I guess I just always think it's healthier to let it run it's course and resolve on it's own.  I never wanted scaring and I also heard that too much popping can effect your pore size.

My husband is a popper and always has been.  He is commonly mistaken for being 10 to 15 years older than he is.  I am not a popper and I am commonly  mistaken for being 10 to 15 years younger than I am.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  But I think popping should be avoided.

I do understand the temptation to pop though.  When a zit gets so huge and painful sometimes it would just be nice to pop it and cover up the damage with makeup.  Still, I say, not worth it.

I'll take the middle road.  I pop when the zit's ready and leave it alone before (or if it isn't painful or obvious).  After showering is a good time.  Since I very rarely use any makeup, not having something distracting on my face is a plus.  I've used pins before. 

I pop. And like someone else, I mess with it til I get scabs. >.< And then I pick at the scabs...

I have no scars though and I've always had picking issues with my face. I also had chest and back acne when I was going through puberty... I occassionally get a pimple there now, but I don't mess with it (cause I can't see it!) and it's gone in like 1-2 days on it's own. My chest was also picked at and I do have some scarring. Pimples mainly attack my face these days.

I don't wear foundation or anything like that on my face, so I have no idea how to cover a pimple. I just deal with the redness til it goes away.

if you can SEE the white puss, sterilise a needle (i use a lighter to do this lol) and pop once and good.

 

otherwise, leave the F alone. scars are not fun. if it hasnt already erupted and the white head isnt visible; try sudocrem, a salicylic acid or glycolic acid wash/overtreatment or my fave, 5/10% benzoyl peroxide.