Picture this- you wake up in the morning, feeling groggy and with eyes barely opened, you make your way to the washroom, squeeze a coin-sized amount of fash wash on your palms, and while you scrub your face with it, you notice a red bump. It's bloody painful, has weird white stuff in it, and keeps growing in size. What do you do next? You contemplate whether to pop it or not, but before you conclude, you do it anyway! Crying over spilled milk is no use now, here's what you need to do next pronto.
Why is it crucial to look after your zit once you popped it? Well, many reasons. Infections, scarring, hyperpigmentation, blemishes, and the list goes on! So, shall we proceed?
The first thing you need to do when you pop the pimple is to avoid touching it with dirty fingers. You see, dirty fingers have dust particles, bacteria, and fungi on them. And if that gunk comes in contact with your pores, it could cause more breakouts. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and plain water first, and then, you're ready to move on to the next step.
Now that your fingers are squeaky clean, gently pick up a cotton swab soaked with bacitracin (available at the local pharmacy), and apply it over the open zit. Ensure that the ointment is only on the zit and nowhere else on the skin to prevent future breakouts.
Pro Tip: You can also use pimple patches. These will treat inflammation and prevent you from picking your skin. Keep an eye out for pimple patches with ingredients such as salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and tea tree oil.
Once the ointment has dried up, it's time to disinfect the pimple. Tea tree oil will get the job done. All you have do is take a 1 tbsp of water, add 2-3 drops tea tree oil, dip a Q-tip in it and apply it to your zit.
Note: If you have sensitive skin or an inflamed zit, avoid applying tea-tree oil and stick to the ointment.
Now that you know how to treat your pimple after popping it, here's a compact list of tips to follow to keep the zits at bay forever.
If the pimple doesn't get better even with these post-pimple care tips, you will have to consult with your dermatologist to treat it. All the best!
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