Myth 8 - Popping Acne Papules and Pustules (Pimples) Makes It Better
Acne is a follicular disease and picking at acne papules breaks the follicular unit spilling inflammatory mediators into the surrounding tissue, resulting in scarring. Patients (clients) should be encouraged not to pick at their faces. While discussing treatment at length is beyond the scope of this article, it should be noted that spot treatment of lesions with topical agents and injections of low-dose intralesional corticosteroids are far more optimal interventions than having patients pop their pimples. In fact, there is a distinct type of acne caused by picking that is well known to dermatologists as acne excoriee dejeune fille (translated a "picked pimples," although it literally means "the picked at acne of the young woman"). The myth of pimple popping as a treatment must be debunked again and again because of the urge patients have to address acne in the inappropriate fashion. However, comedones can be extracted by a well-trained health professional with some benefit, and in fact is recommended by Dr. Danby in his Helpful Handouts column on acne in the May issue of Skin & Aging.
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