Don’t pop those pimples: Try Dr. Murad

I once read in a Time magazine article that Gisele Bündchen loves popping zits.

"I love squeezing them. I have these big mirrors in my house so even if I don’t have one, I look for one to squeeze," she said.

Gisele also likes popping other people’s pimples, sometimes without asking permission, the article said.

"Not a lot of people let me pop them anymore. And all my friends have pretty good skin. I should be a facialist," she said.

I, too, have thought about working for Vicki Belo.

Because popping zits is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and it’s free.

(Except for that time when my zits got infected and I had to go to the dermatologist to have them injected.)

Searching for zits destresses me, especially on flights where I sometimes retreat to the toilet to take advantage of big mirrors and strong white lights.

I pop zits in hotel bathrooms and elevators. At home I use a magic lighted magnified mirror that lets me see every little thing on my face.

Sometimes, when I’ve squeezed out a particularly nasty zit, I even replay the event in my head.

I can classify zits under five basic categories:

• The toothpaste zit: The one that squeezes out into a never-ending long white worm, sometimes up to a few centimeters long.

• The Geyser: A zit that surprises you as it erupts into a spotty mess in the mirror.

• Blackheads: They look like moles and are fun to squeeze. Underneath is the white stuff. It can lie undetected for years, sometimes growing up to the size of a monggo seed.

• Whiteheads: It’s a shallow zit and comes out in a small ball, like a white poppy seed and you can crush it with your nails.

• The basic white zit: Nothing spectacular. Once you pop the white liquid, sometimes a little white worm or seed will come out, then blood. (My husband read that when blood comes out, you get a scar.)

Don’t Touch Them, Treat Them

The thing is, everyone knows you’re not supposed to pop your zits because it can cause infections and scars.

"Acne blemishes can scar the skin, not to mention one’s self-esteem," said Howard Murad, M.D., dermatologist, CEO and founder of Murad, Inc.

"Until recently, the only things available to treat acne were drying agents. People had no choice but to assault the inflamed area with benzoyl peroxide. This harsh approach dehydrates, inflames and irritates the skin, leading to more problems."

To combat teen and adult acne, Dr. Murad has come up with an Acne Complex Kit that has been clinically proven to help rid skin of pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, redness and inflammation, leaving skin clear, smooth and healthy-looking.

The Murad Acne Complex Kit consists of:

A Clarifying Cleanser with salicylic acid that deeply cleans pores.

I tried it and found that it doesn’t foam or lather that much and smells like medicine – but I like that because it tells me a doctor made it and it’s not some run-of-the-mill product from a multinational corporation.

My face felt clean and cool after washing, but my hands felt dry.

The Skin Perfecting Lotion has a nice texture and very faint smell which I like. It’s cool to the skin, with a unique formula that minimizes breakouts and controls shine while delivering oil-free hydration with a lightweight finish.

The Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel is clear and has a nice texture. The gel is a bit tingly and feels like medicine, sticky at first, but eventually dries out. Its patented formula is clinically proven to reduce blemishes by 40 percent in four weeks.

Murad’s Acne Spot Treatment clears blemishes totally in just two days and doesn’t dry sensitive skin.

Not for the masses, Murad’s Acne Complex Kit is available at Rustan’s for P2,760. I love the packaging and luxurious feeling while using it, and I love that the smell is very minimal, unlike other brands on the market.

In independent clinical studies, over 90 percent of the Murad participants experienced a reduction in blemishes in just four weeks. If you’ve tried everything and nothing is working, Murad may be worth a try.

Read The Reviews

Here are raves for Dr. Murad’s kit sourced from Amazon.com:

"I have had acne for 30 (yes, 30) years. In desperation, I bought the Murad Acne Kit. My skin felt noticeably softer after one application. By day five my skin was perfectly clear and the red scaly patches were gone. I’ve been using the products for months and I have never broken out again! They have been a miracle for me. I look in the mirror and I can’t believe it is my skin! (The only caveat is that the products burned a little the first few days. Be sure to use the moisturizer, and perhaps only apply the products once a day in the beginning.)"

"I love Murad products. It not only helps get rid of acne, it also helps shrink my pores with daily use. I go without foundation now, my face has a fresh, healthy glow and feels soft, too. The acne spot treatment is the best and the kit lasts a long time, too."

"I had tried everything under the sun for my persistent acne; now I’ve been using the kit for about two months and if I ever meet Dr. Murad I will be giving him a huge hug! He’s my hero! I’m getting to the point where I almost don’t have to wear any makeup when I leave the house. For someone who has suffered for so long, I really feel like Dr. Murad’s products have given me a whole new lease on life. For anyone who has ever suffered from acne, they have to try this kit before they give up hope."