Carola: ‘Can you squeeze pimples or not?’

#Carola #squeeze #pimples

Carola would like to know how best to remove her daughters’ blackheads and pimples. “Which items work well and which ones should I avoid using?”

“Pimples are the rule rather than the exception during puberty. This is because the skin often produces more sebum than necessary and your skin therefore becomes oily. This can clog your pores. This in turn causes blackheads and sometimes even pimples. “, says research doctor in cosmetic dermatology Jetske Ultee.

According to the dermatologist, skin care can actually improve skin with blackheads and pimples, but you must of course use the right products. “Aggressive skin care is not a good idea, such as strong foaming cleansers, tonics with drying alcohol, cleansing scrubs with granules or black masks against blackheads that you pull off your face. Excessive scrubbing is also counterproductive. And – no matter how tempting – squeeze your pimples please don’t go out.”

This is all way too intense for your skin, says Ultee. The protective layer of your skin breaks down in this way, which can irritate the skin and cause more unrest.

But what can Carola’s daughters do? Jetske Ultee has the following step-by-step plan for skin with pimples:

Step 1: cleaning

Cleanse your skin twice a day with a mild cleanser. This way you remove dirt, bacteria and excess sebum, which can cause problems on the skin. If you use makeup, it is wise to clean the skin with jojoba oil before cleansing, because a cleanser often does not remove all the makeup from the skin.

Step 2: treat

For early acne, an exfoliant with salicylic acid is a good choice. It removes dead skin cells. It also cleans clogged pores and prevents inflammation. Furthermore, blackheads are less noticeable with clean pores.

But be careful: these types of products can suddenly make you see more pimples on your skin. That’s what you call it purging. All impurities that were ‘hidden’ in the skin then come to the surface at once. This often takes a few weeks. Afterwards the skin really becomes more beautiful.

Step 3: protect

If the skin is still young, a cream is usually not necessary yet. If the skin feels a bit dry after the second step, you can add a moisturizer without perfume. I also recommend that you use a perfume-free sunscreen. This is a very good idea for the future you.

If you suffer from pimples, according to Ultee it is extra important that you work as cleanly as possible: first wash your hands before cleaning your face, pat your skin dry with a clean washcloth and change your pillowcase every other day.

In addition, it is good to pay attention to your diet. Some foods can make impure skin worse, such as sweets, soft drinks or fast food. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables seems to protect against acne.

Prevent scars

If you still suffer from (many) pimples after following this advice, seek the help of a skin therapist or specialist. According to Ultee, they can really mean more to you than you think, and you can also suffer from scars if you continue to have complaints.

Rubriek: Asking for a friend

In this weekly column Asking for a friend we submit reader questions about health to one of our experts. Do you also have a pressing health question for a GP, midwife, dietitian, psychologist, dermatologist or other health expert? Then email it to [email protected] and who knows, you might see the answer appear here.