How to make acne scabs heal faster

Chances are, sometime in your life you’ve experienced at least one pimple on your face or body. Acne is especially common in young adults affecting about 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24, but as you may know from experience, can occur at any age. The skin condition currently affects about 50 million Americans yearly. Besides the embarrassment of an inflamed red mark on your cheek or back, acne can be painful and frustrating. Once that pesky pimple shows up, the question that’s always top of mind is – to pop or not to pop?

No matter what type of pimple you have – whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, etc. – don’t pop it! Yes, even if it "ready." Picking or attempting to pop a zit can lead to pimple scabs, scarring, dark spots, and in some cases, even infection.

Pimples are formed when sebum (excess oil) mixes with dead skin cells and clog your pores. Once your pores are plugged, swelling occurs. When you attempt to pop a pimple, (attempt being the key word), you’re irritating the area, and will often make the inflammation worse.

What Causes Pimple Scabs

Pimple scabs normally occur shortly after a pimple is popped. Squeezing a pimple not only sometimes produces pus, but it can also a little bit of blood. When blood is present, scabbing is welcomed by the injury, but can often bring upon another unwelcomed spot on your face. Platelets break apart, and then come together to form a clot made of vitamin K, fibrinogen and calcium, all of which collects at the site of the injury creating an acne scab when hardened. They also protect the site of injury from bacteria to prevent infection and allow your body to regenerate skin cells and heal.

How to Get Rid of Pimple Scabs

Are you reading this a bit too late and are already left with a pimple scab or two? Then read on to find out how to get rid of pimple scabs as quickly as possible.

Don’t pick.

To help prevent infection and scarring down the road, never pick a scab. We know, that’s easier said than done, but the consequences of picking aren’t worth scratching, or messing with the area. (Yes, even if it’s itchy.) Give your body time to do its thing and heal naturally without interference for best results.

Keep the area clean.

It’s extremely important to keep the area clean and free of bacteria. This way you won’t run into a risk of infection and more inflammation. Use a gentle face wash morning and night and always keep your hands away from the scab. After washing, pat dry instead of rubbing the area to avoid the scab accidentally being torn off.

Use moisturizers and topical treatments.

Keeping your scab moisturized and using over-the-counter topical treatments will help to accelerate the healing process of pimple scabs. Use a light, noncomedogenic moisturizer to keep it moist. Also, try using an acne spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide. The ingredient will help to rid dead skin cells and gently exfoliate without irritating the scab.

Conclusion

The number one way to prevent pimple scabs is to treat your acne with the proper skincare and don’t touch it! If you do end up creating a scab, don’t touch it so your skin can naturally heal without leaving a scar. Keep it clean and apply a topical treatment to help exfoliate the area. Proactiv® has three systems (ProactivMD®, Proactiv+®, and Proactiv Solution®) that are proven to treat breakouts.

To get rid of acne scabs, wash the scabbed area twice each day with a gentle cleanser. Afterwards, apply an oil such as castor oil or coconut oil to gently remove the scabs a little bit at a time. You can also use plantain leaves, which grow in many backyards, to protect your skin and promote healing. To get the medicinal benefits of plantain leaves, boil 10 leaves in water to soften them and then mash them into a paste. Apply the paste to the scabbed area for 10 to 15 minutes 2 to 4 times per day. For more tips from our Medical co-author, like how to remove your acne scabs with aloe vera, keep reading!

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You've probably been told that the number one rule for getting rid of a zit is not to pick it and yet, here you are, post-pimple pop and with an acne scab to show for it. Your first thought might be to break out the concealer and full-coverage foundation but alas, this won't totally mask or get rid of acne scabbing. And since patience is not your greatest virtue (it's what got you here in the first place, after all), you probably won't be satisfied with the advice that you should just simply wait for your acne scab to heal (FYI it can take weeks).

So to help you out, we reached out to two dermatologists to get their expertise on all things acne scabs, from how to treat them to how to prevent them, and everything in between.

Keep reading for our complete guide to getting rid of pimple scabs — without doing further damage.

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What are acne scabs?

"Acne scabs are formed when there is enough injury to the tissue to break through the surface, either from draining of liquid and pus from inside an acne lesion, or when the acne pimple becomes traumatized from an external source (most often from picking, squeezing, or aggressive scrubbing and washing)," board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, M.D., F.A.A.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group tells us. "There must be a break in the top layer of skin, in order for the formation of a scab to be triggered."

As for what types of blemishes are more prone to scabbing, Mona Gohara, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale University, says that deep, cystic, painful, or hard ones most often cause inflammation, which can lead to itching, irritation, and the urge to pick.

How to Prevent Acne Scabs

The major culprit of acne scabs, namely, popping/picking your pimple, is a difficult — albeit not impossible — habit to break. Avoid irritating your pimple and instead, treat it with acne-fighting products and ingredients. It's your best bet to keep an acne scab and even, an acne scar, from forming.

How to Get Rid of Acne Scars — and Prevent Them In the First Place

And while not all acne scabs will turn into a scar, you're definitely opening yourself up to the possibility if you pick, Dr. Nazarian tells us. "Although having a scab does not mean that you are definitively going to scar, it does indicate that there was an increased amount of injury to the skin, and the chances are slightly higher. It’s for this reason dermatologists often encourage our patients to keep their fingers off their skin!" 

How to Treat Acne Scabs At Home

Banishing pimple scabs is all about facilitating the healing process and steering clear of any factors that could exacerbate it. You'll want to update your skincare routine to include ingredients and products that cleanse, hydrate, and treat your scab.

The Best Skincare Routine for Acne, According to Dermatologists

• Resist the urge to pick: It turns out that treating post-pimple scabs isn't that different from what you should do when you first notice the pimple: don't touch it. "Do not touch or pick scabs," emphasizes Dr. Gohara.
• Keep the area clean: To avoid infection and to aid the healing process, Dr. Nazarian recommends cleansing gently daily. When patting dry, she stresses trying to avoid all unnecessary pressure or rubbing the scab. It might not be picking, but it's still irritating.
• Moisturize — and then moisturize some more: "It's best to keep [the acne scab] well lubricated because it gives the skin a chance to heal," comments Dr. Gohara. However, avoid using alcohol-based toners and harsh astringents on the area because these products can cause further irritation, she adds. Dr. Nazarian recommends applying an anti-inflammatory moisturizer, such as the Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer. "The Proactiv Green Tea moisturizer has hydrating ingredients like allantoin, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to keep the scab moisturized."
• Apply an ointment: After cleansing and moisturizing, apply a small amount of Vaseline Healing Ointment to cover the scar, instructs Dr. Nazarian. "This prevents infection and stimulates healing of the wounded area."
• Address hyperpigmentation: "Since a scab can often leave a stain as it heals for several weeks, I recommend a topical product to minimize the pigmentation and improve the discoloration that’s common in post-acne dark marks," says Dr. Nazarian. Her pick? Restorative Elements Dark Mark Corrector, which contains licorice root extract, niacinamide, and Centella asiatica.

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When to See a Professional

If you've managed to avoid popping your pimples yet you're still dealing with pimple scabs, it might be time to call in the pros. According to Dr. Nazarian, "If you are producing acne that is consistently scabbing, it’s always best to see a board-certified dermatologist to initiate an acne regimen immediately because this type of acne can have a much higher rate of scarring."

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Also, as we mentioned earlier, resisting the urge to pick and pop zits is a must if you're trying to keep acne scabs at bay. Still, it's easier said than done. "If you are unable to behaviorally curb picking or squeezing habits (because it’s a very challenging habit to quit and often rooted in anxiety) speak to your dermatologist," advises Dr. Nazarian.

"Oftentimes your dermatologist will have techniques and tools to help you address picking, and can also work with therapists and other healthcare professionals to improve chances of breaking the habit." 

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