It's tempting to clear your skin by taking matters into your own hands.
While there are some places you can get away with without causing too much damage to your body, there are others areas that you should leave alone.
1. Pluck chin hair
The stubborn dark hairshavoc
What many don't know is that plucking these thick hairs will actually increase their growth.
Tweezing them seems like a simple solution, but you're actually increasing your risk of dark spots and infection.
The best way to remove chin hair is through laser hair removal or electrolysis.
2. Pick mosquito bites
I know what you're thinking: How is possible to not scratch a mosquito bite? That's the only way to get immediate relief, right?
Yes, you will feel a sense of pleasure for a few seconds, but after that the itch is going to be even more unbearable.
Picking at these red bumps will only irritate the affected area, causing more swelling. If the bite starts bleeding, there's a chance that it may get infected.
Resist the urge to scratch the bite and apply Vicks VapoRub for faster relief.
3. Chip nail polish
It's been a few days and your nail polish is starting to wear off on its own. It's starting to look bad but you're too lazy to apply nail polish remover. Also, you're bored so chipping it will waste some time.
We've all been there before. Now It's time we stop this bad habit.
When you pick at your nail polish, you're also removing the first layer of your nail. This will cause it to weaken and crack.
Once you're nails are too thin, it's going to take a lot of effort to make them look healthy again.
4. Pluck gray hairs
The myth has been busted: Plucking gray hairs will not make your other hairs turn gray faster. But that doesn't mean it won't grow back as gray.
The problem with plucking the hairs on your head is that it damages the follicle. If it's damaged enough, you may not even grow any hair at all!
If you ask me, I rather have a head full of gray hairs than bald spots.
So stop plucking and naturally change the color of your gray hairs with potatoes. The starches in the vegetable are acidic enough to work as a natural colorant.
5. Pop a blister
After a week-long hike, I had three blood blisters in between my toes. It was super painful, and I just wanted to get rid of them, so I popped them by applying pressure.
It later got infected, and I had to seek treatment, so in hindsight it was a terrible idea.
Blisters are actually your body doing you a favor, so do your body a favor and don't pop them!
If you must get rid of the liquid bubble, follow these simple steps:
First wash your hands and then apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the blister to disinfect the area.
Then, using a sterile needle, gently tap the blister letting the liquid drain. Do not remove the skin! Cover the area with a bandage until it heals.
6. Rip a hangnail
The piece of skin near the root of your nail shouldn't be that painful when it tears off, but it is.
It's tempting to bite or rip it off to immediately alleviate your discomfort, but think twice before you do so.
Once it becomes an open wound, it will start to swell and throb, which if you ask me is actually more painful than the hangnail.
Because you use your hands to touch everything, it's likely that the affected area will get infected.
If biting your nails is just a bad habit and you accidentally chew off your hangnail, make sure you wash the area and cover it until it heals.
Instead, use a nail clipper to cut the piece of skin off before it leads to more problems.
7. Pop blackheads and pimples
Have you ever wondered if pore strips actually work? It looks like the strips remove the blackheads off your nose temporarily, but by next week your nose is covered with those dark spots.
In fact, the blackheads never stick onto the pore strip! You're removing oil that naturally forms around your hair follicle.
So every time you pop a pimple or squeeze a blackhead, you're only damaging your skin and causing more irritation and redness.
If you're not careful, you may be permanently scarring your skin.
8. Pick scabs
If you really think about, you're really doing yourself a disservice if you pick at your scab. Sure, it's satisfying, but you may regret it a few days later.
The crust that forms after a nasty wound is exactly what your skin needs to heal.
Pulling a scab off too early will take the wound longer the heal, which in turn might give you an unflattering scar.
Just let the scab come off when it's ready. Your body knows a thing or two about maintaining itself. It has gotten you this far, right?
9. Pluck nose hairs
If you have the courage to pluck your nose hairs, that's impressive, but you need to stop.
Your nose is in the "danger triangle," which is the area from your upper lip to the bridge of your nose.
Since plucking hair damages the hair follicles and will likely cause bleeding, there's a big chance that the inside of your nose can get infected.
And if does, there are some serious consequences.
This blood vessels in this area of your face are connected to your brain, so if you get an infection, it actually could be lethal.
Instead of plucking the stubborn hairs, snip them off.
10. Rub your face
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Your hands come in contact with all sorts of bacteria, and when you rub your face, you're increasing your chances of getting more pimples or catching a cold.
But even when your hands are clean, they should stay clear of your face, especially your eyes.
To prevent wrinkles and dark circles under your eyes, stop tugging around that area.
The skin around your eyes are thin and sensitive, so rubbing them will only aggravate the blood vessels.
If you suffer from summer allergies, check out these 15 ways to prevent you from getting those seasonal watery eyes.
11. Pick under your nails
There's a lot of gunk that accumulates under your nails, which means it's the perfect place for bacteria to grow.
When you pick at the debris, you're touching the bacteria with your hands. The best way to remove this gunk is to gently brush it away.
If you must use your hands, wash them thoroughly to prevent the spread of bacteria.
12. Peel off a sunburn
I got a second degree burn after making the mistake of spending five hours in direct Las Vegas sun while wearing minimal sunscreen.
It's not something I'm proud of, but it taught me a valuable lesson: Never peel off a sunburn, no matter how satisfying it feels.
Think of sunburns as scabs, peeling it off is not a good idea because you're exposing skin that hasn't been healed yet.
Save yourself from scarring and speed up the recovery process by apply aloe vera as often as you can.
If you like this article, check out 10 common mistakes for defrosting meat that put your family's health at risk.
Moojan
Moojan has been a writer at Shared for a year. When she's not on the lookout for viral content, she's looking at cute animal photos. Reach her at moojan@shared.com.
