Now the golden rule is you don't squeeze spots as you can damage the skin, cause bruising and scarring and spread infection, but let's be honest we have all done it. If you must do this, then do it correctly in the way us beauty therapists do. Only spots that are ripe and have a 'white head' can be extracted any other kind can lead to problems of spreading infection etc.
You need to open up the pores of the skin first and this can be done in one of two ways, both by heating the skin. Either by steaming the skin, must not be done if your skin is highly vascular or you suffer from broken capillaries or acne rosacea, or by the use of a hot compress but again not if you suffer from acne rosacea. If you have a few broken capillaries you can protect the areas affected by petroleum jelly before applying the compress.
For the compress you will need a freshly laundered small hand towel wrung out in as hot water as you can bear and is comfortable on the face, and protect your hair with a shower cap.
Also required are:
- A pair of PVC or latex gloves
- Clean tissues
- Teatree essential oil if not sensitive to it or Lavender essential oil, failing those antiseptic lotion
- Damp cotton wool pads for the eyes
Wring out the small hand towel in the hot water and fold in half length wise and lying semi reclined drape it over the face placing the centre of the folded towel on the chin and draping it over the cheeks and up onto the forehead leaving out the nostrils to enable you to breathe. Cover your eyes with the damp pads and relax for 5 minutes.
Not only does this open the pores to prepare for spot extractions it also moisturises the skin.
Wash your hands throughly and glove up and covering a finger on both hands, index fingers are ideal and using the diagram here as a guide, push down under the spot and trying to meet the fingers together underneath it, this will apply pressure within the hair follicle and cause the spot to rupture, this expressing the excess sebum and dead white blood cells, which make up the white matter in the spot along with a little serous fluid. Using a clean cotton bud apply a little neat teatree or lavender essential oil or antiseptic fluid. For additional spots you must use clean tissues over your gloved fingers for each spot. Whatever you do, if the spot wont budge don't force it as you will cause broken capillaries in the skin, and these are permanent or spread the infection further. In this case apply a little of the a fore mentioned essential oils and leave alone, they will ripen in there own good time
Treating spots in this way is not a substitute for good skincare however and more often or not dirty fingers or make up brushes are common culprits leading to spots. There are many reasons for break outs from hormone imbalances, to poor hygiene, stress or bad skincare. If you have full blown acne, then I urge you to seek medical advice as there are many effective treatments to alleviate this distressing condition.
