臉上長了青春痘怎么辦？有些人的第一反應是擠爆它。這樣做會有什么不良后果嗎？怎么處理痘痘才對皮膚最好？如何避免長痘？這些問題的答案都在這里啦。

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

How pimples form
痘痘是怎么形成的

Acne is one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions in adolescents. More than 80 percent of teenagers battle with pimples. It can also occur later in life for a number of reasons, including an imbalance of hormones called androgens.
痘痘是青少年最常見的一種皮膚炎癥。超過80%的青少年都被痘痘困擾。人在成年后也會長痘痘，原因是多方面的，包括體內雄激素分泌失調。

At the moment, we need more research to fully understand the causes of acne. Oil glands (sebaceous glands), located in the skin at the base of the hair follicle, excrete oil (sebum) to lubricate the surface of the skin and hair. All parts of the body contain sebaceous glands, except the palms and soles of the feet.
眼下，我們需要更多研究來充分理解痘痘的成因。皮膚毛囊底部的皮脂腺分泌出油脂來潤滑皮膚和頭發表面。身體的所有部位都分布有皮脂腺，手掌和腳底除外。

Acne was previously thought to come from lack of normal shedding of the skin cells that line the sebaceous (oil gland) follicle. This was thought to lead to thickened skin and the formation of small comedones (black and white heads).
原先認為痘痘源于毛囊皮脂腺周圍的皮膚細胞未能正常脫落。這會導致皮膚增厚，形成黑頭和白頭（粉刺）。

But there has been a shift in this thinking in recent years. Acne is now viewed primarily as an inflammatory skin disorder.
但近些年來這種觀念已經有所變化。現在認為，痘痘的主要成因是皮膚炎癥。

Why you shouldn't squeeze
為什么不該擠痘痘

A pimple is like a little bag under the skin that contains oil, bacteria, and inflammation. Squeezing it can result in these contents being pushed into surrounding skin, making the problem worse. It can also lead to infection and temporary darkening of the skin in that area.
一顆痘痘就像皮下含有油脂、細菌和炎癥的小袋子。擠痘痘會導致這些內容物被擠進周邊的皮膚，讓問題惡化。它還可能導致感染和該區域皮膚暫時性暗沉。

On top of this, the inflammation can become so bad that scarring is left behind when the pimple finally settles down. And scarring (unlike the pimple) can be permanent.
除此以外，如果炎癥很嚴重，在痘痘沉淀下來后，還會留下疤痕。而這種疤痕和痘痘不同，疤痕是永久性的。

If you resist the urge to squeeze, pimples will usually resolve over a week or so without scarring. The "white" contents will also settle down or spontaneously pop when ready.
如果你忍住不擠痘痘，痘痘通常會在一周左右的時間內消退，而且不會留下疤痕。“白色的”內容物在成熟的時候會沉淀下來或自動爆出。

If large pimples require urgent treatment, a dermatologist can get rid of the contents of a pimple safely. They may also give it an injection that decreases inflammation in the pimple in a day or so.
如果有大痘痘需要緊急處理，皮膚科醫生可以安全地去除痘痘的內容物。一天后他們可能還會給皮膚打一針來減少痘痘紅腫。

If pimples are something you battle with even on a monthly basis, it is advisable to see a dermatologist to find out what can be done to control the flares.
如果你每個月都要和痘痘作斗爭，建議你去看皮膚科醫生，制定控痘方案。

How to prevent pimples
如何預防痘痘

If you want to avoid pimples, here are some ways you can have healthier and clearer skin:
如果你想避免長痘，你可以嘗試以下這些方法，幫你擁有健康光潔的皮膚。

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet low in sugar. This includes nuts, legumes, fish, red meat, fruits, and vegetables. A number of well-conducted trials support the benefits of a diet with a low glycemic load for patients who have acne. Some studies suggest a higher risk of acne with frequent milk consumption, but more research is needed before dietary recommendations can be made. It's advisable to keep a diary to see if any of these foods directly aggravate acne and avoid them if this is the case.
吃低糖、健康的平衡膳食。這種膳食包括堅果、豆類、魚類、紅肉、水果和蔬菜。經過嚴格實施的多個試驗表明，痘痘患者吃低糖膳食有好處。一些研究顯示，痘痘高發和經常喝奶有關，但仍需更多研究才能給出這方面的膳食建議。最好堅持記日記，看自己攝入的食物是否直接加劇痘痘問題，如果是的話就避免吃這些食物。

Avoid excessive scrubbing, cleansing, and exfoliating. Acne doesn't happen due to accumulation of dirt and grime on the skin and can't simply be washed away. Using many products can increase skin irritation and dryness and compound the problem.
避免過多的摩擦、清潔和去角質。痘痘不是因為塵垢在皮膚上積聚而產生的，而且光用水也洗不掉。用太多產品會增加對皮膚的刺激，讓皮膚更干，加劇痘痘問題。

Choose oil-free cleansers, moisturisers, and sunscreen (these are usually labelled "non-comedogenic" on packaging).
選擇無油洗面奶、潤膚乳和防曬霜（這些產品包裝上通常貼著控痘標簽）。

Choose silicone-based hair products rather than greasy ones. Greasy hair products can make more oil and grease accumulate on the skin, which will make acne worse.
選擇含硅洗發產品而不是滋潤洗發產品。滋潤洗發產品會讓皮膚產生更多油脂并讓油脂在皮膚上積聚，而這會讓痘痘更糟。

And if you do get pimples, try to resist the urge to squeeze!
如果你還是長了痘，千萬克制住想擠爆它的沖動！

英文來源：The Conversation
翻譯&編輯：丹妮