Updated Feb 19, 2026
Most of us just can’t seem to help ourselves. We wake up to a shiny new bump planted directly in the middle of our foreheads, and we can’t leave it alone. We try to ignore it, cover it, or avoid it, but eventually, we cave.
Once you pop a blemish, you can feel even worse about the condition of your skin than you did before you squeezed, prodded, and picked. Normally, you’ll be left with a swollen red lump that lets everyone know what happened.
Even after the swelling subsides, you can be left with a scab or a darker-looking mark that can take time to fade. Don’t freak out; you’ve got options. Let’s talk about what causes blemishes, what happens when you pop them, and what to do once you squeeze them.
What Causes Blemishes
You thought the madness was over once you outgrew braces and bad haircuts, but here you are. Blemishes can be influenced by many factors, including lifestyle, environment, and natural hormonal fluctuations.
Genetics
Your skin and how it behaves have a lot to do with your family history. Skin tendencies can run in families, which may influence how often blemishes appear.
This doesn’t mean that you’re locked into bad skin or a life of battling bumps; it just means the conditions are right for you to develop blemishes, and you may have to be more proactive about your skincare.
Genetic factors also determine pore size, and people with larger pores tend to develop blemishes more frequently.
Hormones
Hormone changes happen day to day, with major hormone shifts happening during certain periods of your life. Changing from childhood to adulthood is famous for hormones that cause pimples, but going through menopause can make your skin equally blemish-prone.
Stress hormones, like cortisol, can also increase the number of blemishes you develop. Hormonal changes and stress can sometimes coincide with increased oiliness and the appearance of blemishes.
Bad Skincare
Sometimes, the products we use on our skin can cause a breakout. Some products with glycolic or salicylic acid may cause temporary irritation or sensitivity as your skin adjusts. This skin cells begin to turn over faster, and dead skin cells can get trapped in your pores that can lead to a blemish.
Not having a good skincare routine can also cause your skin to break out. If you leave your makeup on overnight, for instance, you can wake up with a bump.
What Happens When You Pop a Pimple?
When you pop a blemish, the area often looks redder and more irritated afterward. It may give you a momentary feeling of satisfaction that you somehow fixed your little problem, but it only makes it worse.
Spreading Germs
Using your fingers can introduce additional irritation to the area and make the blemish look worse. If you continue to mess with your skin after you’ve popped the spot, you can infect the open pore and end up with an even bigger bump.
You Never Get It All
No matter how hard you try to dig and squeeze, you’ll never get all the pus, sebum, and dirt out of the clogged pore. The top of the blemish that is white and “squeezable” is just the portion you can see. They are deeper in the pore, but it’s impossible to dig out.
The remaining dirt and oil have a better chance of reforming now that you’ve popped the blemish and opened the pore so that more dirt and oil can fill it again.
It Leaves a Mark
Popping a blemish often leaves the area looking red or darker for a period of time. When you squeeze your skin, your cells recognize that as a threat, which means it creates an inflammatory response, sending blood and fluid to the area to protect it.
As soon as you pop a blemish, it will be swollen and red. This swelling will likely subside within an hour, but depending on how hard you went while popping, you could be left with a scab that lasts for days.
After popping, it’s not unusual to be left with a red or dark brown colored spot—kind of like a little tattoo to remind you of your bad skincare behavior. At Rael, we think you should give yourself a break and choose options designed to help improve the look of post-blemish marks over time.
What To Do After Popping a Pimple
We can all work on not picking at our skin, but popping a blemish from time to time is bound to happen. When it does, be prepared to do a little damage control and give your skin time to recover.
- Immediately Cleanse the Skin
Once you’ve popped, grab a cleanser and thoroughly cleanse your skin. If you’ve spread germs to other areas of your face, this can help keep the area clean and feeling fresh. You’ll also clear any dirt and makeup from, giving it a better chance of staying clear and not reforming into another blemish.
- Use a Toner
A balancing or clarifying toner is an ideal way to help skin feel balanced and refreshed. Grab a toner with succinic acid to absorb excess oil without stripping your skin of its natural oils.
Our toner contains vitamin B5 and licorice root extract to help skin feel soothed and comfortable.This is especially helpful for skin that is damaged from picking and popping. The best part, our toner won’t dry the skin and leave it feeling uncomfortable.
- Cover With a Spot Cover
Spot covers are tiny patches designed to help absorb fluid and reduce the visible look of blemishes. They’re excellent for using on blemishes you can’t seem to leave alone, and they can help keep your fingers from popping and squeezing.
They’re also handy if you do pop a blemish. Cover the affected area with a blemish patch and let the hydrocolloid technology help keep the hole covered. Some patches include ingredients like retinol or vitamin C to help support smoother-looking skin.
Bonus, you won’t be able to mess with the bump while you’re wearing the patch, which means your skin gets a chance to rest.
The Next 24 Hours
Over the following day, let your skin continue its recovery. Your skin will benefit from gentle care and minimal interference, so keep up with your normal skincare routine using products that are gentle and supportive. Face washes and light hydration can help maintain comfort and clarity without aggravating the healing area. If you’re using a blemish patch for multiple spots, leave them on as recommended to protect your skin and reduce the chance of marks lingering. Think of this as giving your skin the best environment to recover naturally while keeping the area calm, hydrated, and comfortable.
Get Better Skincare
Seriously, stop the problems before they start. Rael’s skincare products are formulated with K-Beauty technology to help maintain a smoother, more refined-looking complexion. They provide gentle cleansing and hydration, supporting your skin so it feels balanced and comfortable throughout the day.
Do Pimples Heal Faster When Popped?
Although it may seem like blemish popping speeds up healing, it often does more harm than good. Popping blemishes often makes them look redder and more noticeable, and can leave longer-lasting marks. The healing process is often slower and can lead to post-blemish scars that are harder to treat. It’s better to let the blemish take its course or use appropriate blemished skincare solutions.
Does Popping Pimples Leave Scars?
Yes, popping blemishes can leave visible marks that take longer to fade. To prevent scarring, avoid popping pimples and instead use products that encourage recovery, such as a spot cover designed to reduce the appearance of post-blemish marks.
Preventative Measures for Blemishes
While popping the bump may be tempting, it’s best to avoid it altogether to prevent skin damage and scarring. Follow these steps to minimize the need to pop pimples:
- Consistent Skincare: Use a routine tailored to your skin type to reduce the appearance of uneven, textured skin.
- Gentle Cleansing: Incorporate a gentle cleanser to remove dead skin cells and makeup accumulated throughout the day.
- Targeted Solutions: Regularly use spot solutions, like a spot gel or blemish patch, to treat blemishes early.
- Hydration: Keep your skin feeling clean and hydrated to maintain blemish-prone skin and minimize the need for popping.
Get Rael
Popping blemishes may happen. It’s seriously unavoidable unless you just have some amazing willpower. When you pop, remember you could be causing a blemish to form. Instead of creating a big problem out of a small bump, look to Rael for skincare options designed to support clearer-looking, comfortable skin.
Our blemish patches keep your spots safe from your fingers and help eliminate them in a matter of hours, so you can quit obsessing over them and obsess over your new favorite podcast. With Rael, you can get control of your skin, no matter what time of the month it is or what you find on your forehead when you wake up.
Sources:
- American Academy of Dermatology. Adult acne. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/really-acne/adult-acne. Accessed on January 30, 2026. Accessed on January 30, 2026
- NIH. Wound care: fact and fiction about hydrocolloid dressings. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8509607/. Accessed on January 30, 2026
- Medline Plus. Herbs and supplements. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/herb_All.html. Accessed on January 30, 2026