Purulent Acne, These Causes and How To Overcome It

There are various types of acne, one of which is purulent acne or pustules. This type of acne is characterized by larger, painful bumps.

When a purulent pimple appears, the skin around the pimple will appear redder and slightly swollen. Pimples also appear full of pus that is whitish or yellowish in color.

What Causes Purulent Acne?

Acne occurs when hair follicles or growth sites are blocked by dead skin cells or the skin's natural oil (sebum). When acne is infected by bacteria, the body will naturally fight the bacteria that cause infection. From this reaction, pus is formed in the pimple.

Purulent pimples are generally painful to the touch. In fact, in certain cases, infected acne can cause severe skin infections accompanied by fever symptoms.

There are several factors that can increase the risk of purulent acne, namely:

• Not maintaining the cleanliness of the skin, for example because you rarely wash your face or take a shower.
• The face is often sweaty.
• Hormonal changes, such as puberty or pregnancy.
• Stress.
• Allergic reaction or irritation to skin care products, such as soaps, moisturizers, and cosmetics.
• Eating too many processed foods or foods that are too sweet.

How to Overcome and Prevent Purulent Acne?

Actually, purulent pimples that are small in size can disappear by themselves. However, if the pimple is already festering and getting bigger or painful, there are several ways that can be done to overcome it, namely:

1. Using acne medication

The use of acne medication can be a solution to relieve inflamed and festering acne. Choose an acne medication with the active ingredients of benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur. Make sure you use the acne medication according to the directions on the medicine package.

If the acne is getting worse or worse, you may need antibiotics, tretinoin, or hormonal drugs (such as birth control pills). Even so, the use of this type of acne medication must be on the recommendation of a doctor.

2. Don't squeeze pimples

One thing you need to remember when you have a festering pimple is to avoid squeezing the pimple. Instead of making the pus disappear, this action actually makes the pus go deeper into the pores of the skin around it, thus making the pimple more inflamed, enlarged, and causing acne scars.

Popping a pimple can also increase the number of germs in the pimple, making it more inflamed and making the pimple worse.

3. Routinely clean the face

One way to prevent and overcome the appearance of acne is to keep the facial skin clean. You are recommended to clean your face twice a day on a regular basis, with a facial cleansing soap that does not contain alcohol to avoid irritation.

Then, rinse your face with warm water and use a soft towel to dry your face by gently patting it.

4. Use moisturizer and sunscreen

After cleansing, don't forget to use a skin moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and sunscreen to prevent the skin from drying out. Make sure you choose a moisturizer and sunscreen product labeled noncomedogenic. Avoid using products made from oil because it can cause blackheads and recurring pimples.

5. Be wise in using cosmetics

Some women may use facial cosmetics or make-up to help disguise acne. However, some types of cosmetics can actually cause clogged facial pores and trigger acne.

Therefore, choose cosmetic products that are fragrance-free, oil-free, and labeled non-comedogenic. Also replace cosmetics that have not been used for a long time because they have the potential to have germs in them.

6. Live a healthy lifestyle

In addition to taking care of the skin from the outside, taking care of the health of the skin from the inside must also be done to prevent acne from reappearing. You are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle by consuming healthy foods for the skin, increasing consumption of water, avoiding cigarette smoke, and managing stress well.

If the various methods above are not effective in dealing with purulent acne or acne accompanied by fever, nausea, weakness, and unbearable pain, then you should immediately consult a dermatologist to get the right treatment.