One line that you must literally draw is the line in front of the mirror: no squeezing, no picking. Some people even have to go so far as to put a piece of tape on the floor in front of the sink in the mirror, where they would stand when they are up close and looking at their face. Once you cross this line, it is important to remember not to touch your face or squeeze any pimples or other lesions there. Although some may appear slightly smaller after squeezing, inflammation will usually restore their size.
Even worse, if the pimples or cysts break under the skin from squeezing, the material emerging will act like a foreign body to often create even more inflammation and larger cysts. Those cysts can then become the ones that go on to enlarge, and cause even more inflammation. And when they eventually calm down, cause depressed scars (and sometimes depressed people). A lot of the visible red scars and depressed scars on some people with acne are more due to the squeezing and trauma then the acne itself. Do yourself and your face a favor and don't touch or squeeze your face, once you cross that line in front of the sink or the mirror.
To your health,
Dr. Alan M. Dattner, MD
