HEALTH

There's a reason we get a weird satisfaction from popping zits and secretly love watching those gross-but-fascinating vids on YouTube—it's just downright addictive. But it's not good for you. In fact, studies have shown that this habit makes your acne even *worse* because when you pop a pimple, you are spreading the infection on your face and causing inflammation. Plus, you're adding more scars to your face by picking at your spots. Below are some of the most effective ways to fight your bad habit.

Trim your nails short.
When popping zits, you usually have to use something that will actually force out the pus from your face (yuck, we know). Keep your nails short enough to not be able to pop them. And if you like to get your nails done, think of all the ways you could ruin them with all that bacteria. Cutting your nails will also prevent any dirt underneath your nails from infecting your face.

Keep your hands occupied. 
Most times, people are absent-minded when touching their face and don't even realize what they're doing. To avoid this, do activities that will involve your hands like playing an instrument, journalling or using a fidget spinner. The most important thing is that you're doing something that keeps your paws away from your pimples.

Figure out your triggers.
It could be that you are standing in front of the mirror too long or watching something that triggers you to pick them. Either way, take note of what you're doing when you start picking your face and figure out how you can change that. Place reminders on your mirror to stop picking or set up a reward system so that you get to watch your fave episode on Netflix whenever you go a full day without popping.

Treat your face.
The only time you should be touching your face is when you're treating it. This does not include picking them! Find a skincare regimen that works for you or see a dermatologist that will help you decide what works best for your skin. This is the best way to solve your acne problems and with patience you will notice improvement.

If you are looking for more motivation, check out this girl's testimony about popping pimples.

Do you have this bad habit? Tell us why or how you stopped below! 

We want to hear from you! Send us your weirdest body questions here (seriously, we'll answer anything!) and it just might get featured.

by Timi Awoyinka | 5/28/2018