We spend a great deal of time discussing the nuances of the hu-man face here at the wet shaving blog, including how to properly care for your skin. A good shave can be interrupted, on occasion, with an active acne breakout. Because we fully believe that preparing is better than repairing, we thought we would provide  a few pointers on how to properly pop your pimples.

As in shaving with a single blade razor, there is a right way and a wrong way.  Most dermatologist professionals will advise against popping your pimples, but as most of their patients will ignore such advice, we thought it would be wise to discuss the proper methodologies here. So, if you are looking to do it, you perform the process with as little damage as possible.

Here are the 10 considerations in performing the proper pimple pop.

1. Make Sure They’re Ready

A “ready” zit is one that has a visible white head formed on the surface of the skin. The white blood cells are completed collected and walled-off inside the follicle. If no visible white head exists, then all the poking and squeezing will cause more damage and only make things worse.

2. Sanitize Your Skin & Hands

Wash your face and hands with soap and warm water. Dry the surface of your skin and hands with a clean cloth.

3. Use a Sanitized Needle

Sanitize the tip of the needle by passing it through the hottest part of the flame from a lighter or match. Give the needle enough time to cool, then wipe the tip of the needle with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.

4. Clean the Area Again

Use an alcohol wipe to gently clean the area around the skin once again. The key to quick healing and avoiding future breakouts is avoiding infection with proper sanitizing.

5. Impale the Head of the Pimple

Using the needle parallel to the surface of the skin, impale the head of the pimple and push the needle through the skin on the other side of the zit. If no puss comes to the surface, it’s most likely that the pimple was not properly prepared. Wait 24 hours and start the process again.

6. Push Down

Using even pressure, push down perpendicular to the skin around the zit. Do not squeeze as it can force the pustule backward, deeper into the surface of the skin. When this occurs, a small pimple can turn into an even larger red nodule.

7. Clean Again

Once the “head” of the pimple emerges, clean the area again with an alcohol wipe or cotton ball soaked in alcohol. Again, the key here is to ensure the area remains clean and sanitary.

8. Apply Light Pressure

Once you have cleaned the area, it can be helpful to apply light pressure using a tissue to ensure the area is clear of any additional pustule infection.

9. Use Witch Hazel

Apply some witch hazel to the area to help sooth and relieve swelling.

10. Apply Acne Spot Treatment

Once complete, it can be helpful to apply some skin clearing oil or oil-free concealer to the area.

If your zit issues persist, it would be wise to visit your dermatologist. S/he can use additional medical remedies like steroid to help increase the pimple healing process.

Proper pimple care can be critical for those who regularly shave. Unclean razors and blades can not only be the cause of acne breakouts, they can perpetuate the problem. Make sure you regularly clean your razor head and replace your razor blades. An ounce of prevention can replace pounds in curing the issue of acne.