How to Avoid Scarring Caused by Acne Pustules

Acne most commonly occurs in the form of white heads or blackheads, but sometimes pimples can become infected. If that happens, acne can become quite painful. Red and containing a lot of pus, these pustules are more common on the face, for two reasons: first, most of the sebaceous glands are situated here; second, our face has more frequent contact with our hands than other areas of the skin, which makes it more prone to infections. However, infected pimples can sometimes be seen on the neck, upper back and shoulders as well.

The pus inside the pimple consists, among other things, of bacteria and white blood corpuscles. How do they get there? Heres how it happens. When the excess sebum produced by the hyperactive sebaceous glands clogs the skin pores together with sweat and dust, the bacteria residing on the surface of the skin also get trapped in the epidermal follicles. This is how the pimple is formed.

The story doesnt end there, though. The bacteria cause an infection, which alerts the bodys immune system. White blood cells are sent to the problem area to kill the bacteria. The battle results in an accumulation of fluids, toxins, dead skin cells and dead bacteria - a toxic mix that forms the pus.

The unhealthy nature of the pus should make it obvious why popping a pimple is such a bad idea. When the pus gets out, it actually spreads across the surrounding area on the skin, which can lead to new irritations and infections. Moreover, what we see of the pimple is something like the top of the iceberg. The inflamed elevation represents around 40% of the pustule, so the largest part of it is somewhere in the deeper layers of the skin. When you pop a pimple, you risk pushing 60% of it even deeper than it already is, which only makes things worse, Intensifying the infection and extending the period needed for the pimple to heal. It is a much better idea to just wait patiently for the swelling to disappear and for the pimple to dry out. Normally, this shouldnt take more than 2-3 days. Apart from that, there are some preventive measures you can take, to reduce the likelihood of new pimples being formed.

Washing your face and hands with an antiseptic solution at least twice a day is a way to drastically reduce the number of bacteria and dust present on the skin, as well as a good method for keeping the pores clean, which will prevent clogging. Maintaining a healthy diet, rich in vitamins, minerals, magnesium and zinc can boost your immune system, increasing the body's resistance to infections and making it much more effective in its bactericidal response.

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