You wake up feeling a slight red bump on your cheek. You can barely see it, but you know it's there. By lunchtime, your friends have all given you the red alert - pimple at 3:00. It's getting bigger as the day goes on! You know what your mom, your health teacher or your dermatologist told you - just wash your face twice a day and everything will be fine.

But by the end of the day, your pimple has evolved into a perfect whitehead - perfect for popping, right? It's a tempting thought, but popping a pimple won't get rid of the problem. At best, you'll get rid of the crust and fluid inside the pimple, but you'll still have a red blotch on your cheek that only time and antibiotics can fade.

At worst, popping your pimple will release the same bacteria that caused your breakout in the first place, allowing it to spread to other areas of your face to form even more pimples. A scab will probably form, too, which can leave you with a permanent pit or scar.

Since popping isn't the way to go, patience is the key. Your pimple will disappear sooner rather than later and by leaving it alone, you won't be left with any nasty reminders that it was there. If you do touch your face though, at least wash your hands and face first.