Pet & Animal: How to Get Rid of a Pimple

While there are ways to avoid acne, sometimes there's no help for a single pimple that shows up at the worst time. Whether it be stress, hormones, or poor diet, you don't have to let your unfortunate zit make its home on your face. Try using a combination of dermatologist solutions and home remedies to remove your pimple in a jiffy.

Steps

Trying Dermatologist-Proved Treatments

Apply salicylic acid. The most common dermatologist recommended treatment for pimples/acne is salicylic acid. This acid is used to safely kill bacteria and dry up the excess oil that causes a pimple. Look for a spot treatment that advertises a salicylic acid compound, and apply it as soon as you feel a pimple coming on. You can also use a facial soap that contains salicylic acid, to help reduce acne and the formation of more pimples in the future.

Use a retinol product. Retinol is a type of Vitamin A complex that is used in drying out zits. Retinol can be a bit strong for sensitive skin, so look for an over-the-counter product before asking your dermatologist for a retinol prescription. Apply the product once daily (or per instructions via the box) until your pimples have disappeared.
- When using a retinol product, be sure to apply plenty of moisturizer as it is likely that the skin around your pimple will become very dried out and possibly peel/flake off.

Use a sonic cleanser. These giant face-scrubbing electric tooth-brush like tools work wonders for cleaning out pores and quickly getting rid of pimples. Purchasing a sonic cleanser can be a bit on the expensive side, though. They work by using vibrating a brush head in a circular motion, which essentially ‘shakes out’ dirt and grime in your pores that are causing your pimple. As soon as you feel/see a pimple, use the brush by holding it directly onto the spot for 1 minute with a bit of facial cleanser.

Keep your skin clean. Throughout the day, pollution from the air, sweat, and dirt stick to the skin on your face and make your pimples worse. Wash your face twice daily, and keep cleansing pads/towelettes with you throughout the day. This way, whenever your face feels oily, grimy, or sweaty, you can wipe it off and leave your skin fresh and clean. These are especially handy for after a workout and in hot weather.

Try a steroid injection. If you’re suffering from deep cystic pimples, you may not be able to get rid of them on your own. Take a trip to your dermatologist and get a steroid injection instead; this will reduce the redness and swelling significantly, and your pimple should disappear much faster than normal. Talk to your dermatologist about other options as well, to keep your pimple gone even weeks after the injection.^[1]

Use a bit of benzoyl peroxide. Another go-to for skin care, benzoyl peroxide is an active ingredient in most acne-fighting medications. Find a spot treatment whose primary ingredient is benzoyl peroxide, and apply it once or twice daily until your pimple has disappeared. It works by drying out the excess oil and killing the bacteria that is clogging your pores.

Try an aspirin mask. One of the primary uses for aspirin is to bring down inflammation and swelling; something it does when applied to a pimple, as well. Grind up one or two aspirin tablets, and add a drop of water to form a paste. Put this directly on your pimple and leave it on for as long as you’re able. Rinse it off with cool water, and your pimple should be nearly gone!

Ice your pimple. Similar to aspirin, ice is often used to bring down swelling and redness on the body. Hold an ice cube or an ice pack over your pimple for 20-30 minutes. This will cause the pore to close up, which then causes the excess bacteria and dirt to drain out on its own. Further, it will lose its redness and size, giving your skin a nearly normal texture and appearance.

Using Home Remedies

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Pastes and masks

Make a baking soda paste. Baking soda is excellent for cleaning surfaces, so why not use it to clean up your pimples? Mix a tiny amount of baking soda with enough water to form a thick paste, and dab it onto your pimple. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes or until it has completely dried, and then rinse it off with cool water. You can repeat this several times a day until you’ve gotten the desired pimple-diminishing effect.

Make a cucumber mask. This solution works best for soothing your skin and reducing redness, but is not as effective as aforementioned solutions for killing bacteria. Mince a bit of cucumber to form a paste, and put this directly on your pimple or over your whole face. Wait for it to set for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse your skin off with cold water. Voila! Your redness should be significantly reduced, and you’ll feel cool as a cucumber.^[2]

Herbal

Use some tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is used in many beauty products for its skin-soothing qualities and ability to naturally kill bacteria. Purchase a bottle of pure tea tree oil,and use a cotton swab to put a bit of it on your pimple. Do this only once a day, and repeat until your zit has completely disappeared. Be careful though, as adding too much tea tree oil can actually have the opposite effect and cause you to break out more.^[3]

Try a bit of garlic. As odd as it may seem, garlic is great for reducing pimples for two reasons: it is a natural antiseptic, and it also contains high levels of sulfur (good for drying oil). Either mince a clove of garlic to form a paste, or cut a clove of garlic in half and hold it to your pimple. Leave the garlic on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse off with cool water.

Try using peppermint. Peppermint is full of menthol, which is responsible for giving that fresh and clean sensation when applied to the skin. If you have some fresh peppermint growing in your garden, try picking a few leaves and grinding them into a paste. Apply this directly to your pimple and allow it to dry, and then rinse the mixture off with a bit of cold water. You can do this several times throughout the day, if for no other reason than to soothe your irritated skin.

Kitchen remedies

Dab on some lemon juice. Lemon juice has been used for centuries for its bleaching and cleaning properties, and can be put to the same use on your face. Cut a fresh lemon in half, and rub a q-tip over it to pick up the fresh juice. Dab this onto your pimple and allow it to dry, repeating the application every few hours if necessary. Be sure to use fresh lemon rather than bottled lemon juice, as the latter often contains preservatives that are unhealthy for your skin.

Use a honey spot treatment. Honey is a great all-natural skin purifier, as it works to kill bacteria and block out dirt and grime. Pour a bit of honey onto your pimple, and leave it on for as long as you’re able. If you prefer to add the goodness of honey to your whole face, you can do so in the form of a honey mask. When you’re ready to take it off, simply dissolve the honey with a bit of warm water.

Try using papaya. Yes, the tropical fruit you often enjoy in smoothies is also great at cleaning your skin and getting rid of pimples. Juice a papaya or crush a small amount of the fruit to form a paste, and then dab it onto your pimple(s). Let it set for as long as you are able before washing it off and splashing your face with cold water. You can repeat this process several times daily if you desire.

Bathroom remedies

Try using toothpaste. An old home remedy for getting pimples gone is to use toothpaste. The bacteria fighting powers of this teeth-cleaning agent work wonders at getting rid of the bacteria clogged in your pores. Choose a white, non-gel toothpaste and dab it onto your pimple. This works best when done at night before you head to bed, but can be done at any time during the day as long as you have a few hours for the paste to cure.

Use a mixture of refined cornmeal, toothpaste and water. Mix well. Spread on your pimples and leave for 5 minutes. Wash off and clean with water and a mild soap suitable for the face. This mixture helps to dry up the pimples.

Use the mouthwash, Listerine. The alcohol dries up, and pimple disappears!

Dry it out with baby powder. Apply baby powder to the pimple, and let it dry out over night.

Steam it out. Rather than icing your pores to close them, you can use steam to open up your pores and make them easier to clean out. Fill a pot or bowl with hot, steamy water, and hold your face over it with a towel draped over your head to trap the moisture in. Do this for 5-10 minutes, followed by a good cleaning with your regular face cleanser. You can do this in combination with any of the spot treatments as well for added cleansing effect.

Video

Tips

Wash your face every night before you go to bed, since your body always produces oil.

Drink plenty of water to help naturally detoxify your skin.

Don't pick at a pimple too much. The skin around it will be red and irritated .

Don't use too many chemical products on your skin. Even though it says, "helps with breakouts," it can dry your skin and make it even worse.

Hands off your face! Do not touch or pick at your spot; this will not help it to go away faster.

Always keep a clean face without too much oil or else some bacteria will fill in your pores.

Apply moisturizer when your face is damp, as your skin absorbs it better when wet, rather than having it sit on your skin and cause more breakouts by blocking pores.

Wash your hands frequently. If you need to touch your face, use a clean cloth (or something similar) to do so.

Wear sunblock (oil-free) on a sunny day, as pimples are raw skin and sunburn will worsen it.

Keep your pillowcase clean, and wash it every 4-5 days.

Warnings

If you cover your pimple with makeup, choose carefully. This could trap oil and dirt, especially if the makeup contains moisturizers. (Using a hypoallergenic makeup, an oil-free makeup, or a medicated makeup may help)

Popping pimples can result in permanent scars and is not recommended, especially for larger pimples.

Benzoyl-Peroxide solutions cause drying underneath your first layer of skin. This may take away the zits but will leave dry and irritable skin underneath, which can lead to itching and possibly may even give you a rash. If your skin over-dries after the pimple is gone, try some gentle face lotion such as Dove.

You should cleanse (and maybe exfoliate and moisturize) your skin twice daily. Go to an expert for a skin consultation to find out what strength of soap and clarifying lotion you should be using for your skin type, or use trial and error.

2.5%, 5%, and 10% Benzoyl-Peroxide Solutions (washes and creams) are available. For some people, 10% is too strong and irritates the skin. For others, lower strengths are not effective enough. It may be helpful to start with 5%, go up to 10% if you're still breaking out and go down to 2.5% if your skin gets dry or irritated

Never go to bed with make-up on.

You can also take a hot steam as it will help you get rid of it very quickly ,BUT do not do it regularly as it may lead to opening of pores which remain permanently open and can never be closed.