Why shouldn’t you pop pimples yourself?
In short
Touching and squeezing lesions is one of the four risk factors in a tool for assessing atrophic acne scar risk, and the only one of the four you can change today. Squeezing can push some of the contents through the pore wall into the dermis, widening inflammation and leading to dark marks or pitted scars.
Key points
- (1).
A 2017 risk assessment tool (J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol) lists four scar risk factors: peak acne severity, duration of acne, family history of atrophic scars, and touching or squeezing lesions.
- (2).
Bigger inflammation stimulates pigment cells more, leaving brown marks that can last months, and damage to dermal collagen creates pitted scars that do not resolve on their own.
- (3).
A 2025 study of 175 patients with facial acne scars found that delayed or no treatment was a significant risk factor for scar severity, and 69.2% of those with severe scars reported a considerable impact on quality of life.
- (4).
A 2021 review likewise says that treating the acute inflammatory phase to shorten inflammation is key to reducing scars and pigment changes.
- (5).
Red, hard swollen spots, deep painful nodules, lesions joined together like tunnels, and the area between the nostrils and lips are best left alone.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if acne keeps recurring for 3 months or more, if hard nodules or painful lesions appear, if even one pitted mark has formed, if someone in your family has acne scars, or if you find it hard to stop touching your skin.
FAQ
Isn’t it fine to squeeze a whitehead?
If it is shallow and fully open, the harm may be small. But that is hard to judge accurately, and pressing with your nails sends pressure in every direction.
Is it okay if I disinfect afterward?
Bacteria are not the only problem. The tissue tearing from the pressure is itself damage.
Do pimple patches help?
Their main role is keeping your hands off rather than treating directly. That matters because it blocks risk factor number 4.
REFERENCES
- Tan et al., J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2017 ↗
- Heah et al., Med J Malaysia 2025 ↗
- Kurokawa et al., Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2021 ↗
Written and reviewed by Dr. Kevin Kim, M.D.Last reviewed October 2026
Read the full post on Naver Blog (Korean) ↗