We’ve all been there:

If someone in your family, such as a teenage son or daughter, has acne-prone skin you’re no doubt used to the familiar refrain: “don’t pick” at blemishes. The difficulty is that’s easier said than done.

Not only does having an acne breakout result in checking on it in the nearest mirror regularly, but people also tend to want to make it worse by magnifying it, touching it and squeezing it. I have one word: DON’T. Here’s why. Hopefully, you can share this with your teenager to help him or her understand also.

What are you trying to accomplish when you pick at a pimple?

Acne is caused by a pore being clogged by dead skin, oil or dirt and debris. When you pick at or squeeze at a pimple, what you’re ultimately doing is removing the clogging within the pore so that the infection around it can heal. While that sounds like a logical way to get rid of acne blemishes, it does more harm than good.

What’s the difference between extracting a pore clog and popping a pimple?

Don’t confuse what a professional is doing with your at-home popping method! A skin care professional will be able to extract pore clogging debris without irritating the skin around it or making the situation worse. Your teenager is not likely to be able to do that.

Is it ever okay to pop a pimple?

If your inflamed acne is at the end of its lifecycle, which usually means that a large white or yellow head is at the surface, you may be able to gently help it along. This stage of the blemish means that the infection and inflammation are over and the resulting puss is ready to expunge itself. The pimple will pop on its own eventually.

What can the results of popping a pimple be?

There are four main reasons to leave a blemish alone.

1. You may push the bacteria and inflammation deeper into the skin

You may think that you’re moving the clog to the surface of your skin, but chances are high that your squeezing is actually pushing the clog, the bacteria and the inflammation further and deeper into the skin. That means you can expect for it to take even longer for your blemish to disappear.

2. You may spread the bacteria to surrounding skin

While you’re squeezing your blemish, it’s very likely that you’ll spread the bacteria to surrounding areas of your skin. That could mean redness and irritation or, even worse, more blemishes.

3. You may create an acne scar or post-acne mark

Squeezing, picking and popping all damage the skin. The esult may be that you get rid of the blemish but end up with an acne scar or post-acne mark. If you think it was difficult to find an effective acne treatment, finding an acne scar treatment is even more challenging. In some cases, you’ll be able to fade post-acne marks, but you’ll need to visit a dermatologist for deeper acne scars.

4. You may transfer more dirt and oil to your skin

Your hands carry dirt, oil and bacteria and transfer them to your face every time you touch it. If you have acne-prone skin, you want to be touching your face less, not more.

What’s the solution?

Treat the clog by exfoliating to remove the material on your skin’s surface. In most cases, what’s clogging your pores and causing breakouts is an overproduction of skin cells. By using an acne treatment that can exfoliate away these clogs while also fighting acne-causing bacteria within the skin’s surface, you make it easier for your skin to clear itself.