Dermatologist Reveals the One Thing You Should Never Do to a Pimple

So you've got an active pimple, or three. Whether you suffer from painful acne, or this is a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence, put down the tweezers, sit on your hands if you have to until the urge to squeeze or pop passes, then get out your skincare.

Pimples can appear and bother us at any stage of life for a wide range of reasons. Acne is the most-common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million people in America annually, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Pimples and blemishes are painful, upsetting, and can put a dampener on our day, month, or year, so it's understandable we want them gone as fast as they dare to turn up. While there is no minute miracle cure, Dr. Nadir Qazi, doctor of osteopathic medicine and cosmetic dermatology surgeon, told Newsweek how to put out those spots, fast.

How It Feels to Have a Pimple

Skin is the largest organ in and on the body, and our faces are arguably the first thing people see about us, informing any snap judgements people may make.

"Acne and acne scars can wreak havoc on a person's self-esteem, especially in today's world where everyone else appears to look perfect on social media, and generated filters certainly amplify this," Qazi, founder of Qazi Cosmetic Clinic in Newport Beach, California, told Newsweek.

"I personally battled acne and acne scarring in my younger years, and I sought help from everyone to reduce the appearance of the scarring, only to get turned away repeatedly because of my darker skin tones," Qazi said. "The equipment used back then bleached out the skin, swapping one problem for another.

"Beautiful skin cannot be quantified, but the ill effects of blemished skin can be, through documented stories of people like me who had serious skin issues and now finally have beautiful skin," he added. "When you look good, you feel good about yourself and nothing beats that."

What Causes Pimples?

Pimples are common and are caused by clogged or inflamed sebaceous (oil) glands, or an increased presence of bacteria on the skin.

"Pimples can draw attention away from your own natural beauty and leave people feeling less than, when in fact they're fabulous people with beautiful skin hidden under a spot," said Qazi.

Causes for occasional pimples can range from not cleansing bacteria away from the face, or from touching the face or skin and transferring dirt and oil from the hands. "Hormones may also play a part in occasional blemishes, as can diet, weather, menstrual cycle, anxiety, and other random factors," added Qazi.

Acne differs from occasional pimples as it is as medical condition where the skin produces excess oil either from overactive oil glands or hormonal changes during menstruation, puberty, or menopause.

"Acne is longer lasting, doesn't go away without treatment, and can leave long-lasting scars on both the skin and the psyche," said Qazi.

Whether you suffer from the odd pimple, or acne, there will be times when you want to just go with the flow and bear all, and others when you want to reduce that pimple, fast.

How to Speed Up a Pimple

"Ingredients to look for to reduce redness and inflammation include: Benzoyl peroxide, retinoids like adapalene, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, AHA or alpha hydroxy acid. Also, there are oral prescription medications like Accutane or topical creams like tretinoin," said Qazi.

Here's how they work:

Benzoyl Peroxide

"This ingredient can have a cleaning, drying effect that can kill bacteria and remove the excess oil and dead skin cells that clog pores and lead to acne," said Qazi. "Start with a lower dose to avoid skin irritations."

Adapalene (Brand Name: Differin)

"A retinoid, which is a vitamin-A derivative, can prevent pores from clogging by shedding older skin cells more quickly," Qazi said. "Users should be warned not to use this product on open wounds, eczema outbreaks, or sunburns, and to start with lower doses. A great idea is to combine benzoyl peroxide with adapalene for a combo effect."

Salicylic Acid

"This ingredient has had a lot of traction in the skincare industry in recent years and is a beta hydroxy acid that exfoliates skin to remove dead skin cells, dirt, oil, and bacteria that cause outbreaks," said Qazi. "This ingredient is effective in both products you leave on your skin and products intended to be washed off."

Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid

"These two more-popular and effective ingredients are both AHAs, alpha hydroxy acids that can remove dead skin cells, calm inflamed skin, and entice new skin growth. AHAs can improve the overall look and health of the skin, reduce large pores, and diminish the appearance of darker acne scars," said Qazi.

Azelaic Acid

"This acid has some antibacterial properties, which can prevent clogged pores, and it can be used as a dark spot corrector as it can inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that produces melanin which gives us our natural pigmentation (skin, hair, and eye color). It works well to reduce lighter scars caused by acne and other skin blemishes," added Qazi.

Individual skin patches that subtly help conceal a pimple while containing ingredients that can help reduce them have become more popular in recent years. Qazi recommends giving them a try.

"For a quick spot, hydrocolloid patches work well on open acne," Qazi said. "For pimples that are not open, there are other acne patches without hydrocolloid that may also work well. Benzoyl peroxide can kill the bacteria and dry up the pimple quickly. Hydrocolloid patches can help prevent scarring, as they were originally used for general wound care and for after a skin procedure like mole removal."

Clay or charcoal masks can help reduce redness for more than one spot, and "pull dirt and oil from clogged pores," Qazi added, "and for more stubborn blemishes or for acne or acne scarring, I recommend chemical peels or any of our newer lasers that target sebaceous glands to reduce oil production."

You Should Never Do This to a Pimple

While there may be times the pain and frustration make it impossible to resist, try to fight the urge to pick, peel, or squeeze pimples.

"The results of the squeeze or picking can leave lasting scars where the spot may have simply gone away on its own without leaving a mark," said Qazi. "Also, avoid aggressive scrubs and overexfoliation and use caution with more stringent toners that can overly dry the skin."

Do not resort to toothpaste as it can make a pimple worse. "Although, toothpaste can work in pinch," Qazi said, "depending on brand and severity, toothpaste can also make the breakout worse if your skin has sensitivities, especially with so many tooth-whitening pastes on the market."

"Human beings are herd creatures," he added. "We want to fit in, and we naturally want to be the stronger, more popular ones in the group. Beautiful skin has eye appeal, and our looks are often what we are judged on first. Or so we think. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we look at ourselves like we're studying our every inch under a microscope of judgment. Any flaw makes us feel like we're not the best specimen.

"Nothing could be further from the truth, but our brains trick us into thinking that for fear of being outcast," Qazi said. "Our desire to always look our best means we want blemishes, spots, marks, scars, anything we feel steals our excellence, gone and gone quickly. In our desperation, we can sometimes choose solutions that can actually make things worse."

If you have persistent pimples or acne, Qazi strongly recommends seeing an expert, and in the meantime: "Don't panic and don't rely on harsh chemicals."