For example, things like garlic, honey, cinnamon , lemon , or toothpaste won't treat large acne cysts, contrary to what some online sources say. Home remedy spot treatments can't get deep enough into the skin to do any good. At best, they'll do nothing for the blemish.
At worst, you'll end up with an irritated spot or a red and itchy rash called contact dermatitis. You can encourage the pimple to heal on its own by using a warm compress.
Make one by soaking a washcloth in really warm water. Apply to the pimple for 20 minutes or so, a couple of times a day. You might have to do this for several days. The warm compress can help the pimple to drain on its own. Remember, though, don't squeeze at the pimple even if it comes to a head. Let it drain naturally.
When at-home treatments aren't helping, especially if you've had the blemish for more than a few weeks, your dermatologist may recommend acne surgery. Deep cystic breakouts sometimes need to be lanced cut and drained by a medical professional.
During an acne surgery, a dermatologist will make a small incision in the skin and carefully drain the blemish. It's a bit uncomfortable but not as bad as it sounds. And once done, your skin can begin healing. It's important that you only let a physician do this.
Your esthetician can't and legally, shouldn't lance a deep blemish, and it's definitely not a DIY job. Another professional treatment for big pimples is a cortisone injection.
A tiny needle that contains diluted steroid is injected into the blemish. Within just a few days, the pimple shrinks and disappears. Again, this procedure must be done by a dermatologist, but it's a fast way to heal stubborn zits. Cortisone injections should be seen as a last-resort treatment since it can cause side effects like an indentation of the skin around the injection site. Cortisone injections are not right for every person or every blemish, either.
Check with your dermatologist to see if this is a good fit for you. Popping a zit can make it worse or leave a scar. Instead, try applying warm compress a couple times a day or using a spot treatment. If a few weeks pass with no improvement, make an appointment with your dermatologist. A pimple that won't go away may need to treated with surgical lancing or a cortisone injection.
Are you sure it's just a blemish? What you think is a simple acne pimple could really be something entirely different. There are many different skin problems that cause acne-like blemishes. Your healthcare provider will be able to tell if it is acne or one of these conditions. A boil is an infected hair follicle that looks exactly like a giant pimple. They start off as a red, painful bump under the skin and as they progress they develop a white head. Some boils heal on their own with at-home treatment , but others need medical attention.
Ingrown hairs pseudofolliculitis can cause large, painful, red bumps, especially if the follicle becomes infected. Soak a soft cloth in warm water and hold it over the pimple for several minutes. Rewarm the compress when it gets cold. The warmth helps to loosen and "open" the pore and soften the head, allowing the pimple to drain naturally.
Make sure, though, that the pustule is ready, with a large white head at the very surface of the skin. If you do this with a pimple before the white head has formed it can make the blemish more inflamed, making it look larger and more obvious. This method won't work on blackheads. The core of a blackhead is much harder and stickier than the core of a pustule.
If you have a day or so to wait, over-the-counter spot treatments are another good option. Dab a small amount on the pimple and leave it alone. The spot treatment helps dry up the pimple. Hydrocolloid acne stickers may also be helpful as pimples heal and to prevent picking. You can get spot treatments in the skincare aisle of your local drug store. Products that contain benzoyl peroxide or sulfur tend to work best on pustules. Some people also have good results with products containing salicylic acid or tea tree oil.
You may want to experiment with a few different brands to find the one that works best for your skin. Follow the directions on your chosen product. Don't be tempted to apply more often than recommended or you'll end up with a dry, red, peeling spot. Ideally, you'll be able to take care of your pimple without squeezing. Popping pimples should always be a last resort.
This video has been medically reviewed by Casey Gallagher, MD. If you feel like you must pop that whitehead, though, it's best that you do it safely. Remember, whenever you squeeze a blemish, you can cause damage to your skin. These steps will at least reduce the chance of that happening. This only works for blemishes with large, obvious whiteheads that are close to the surface of the skin.
If you still have the whitehead:. If the pimple doesn't drain easily, then it's not ready. Don't force it and it's best to leave it alone. Try an overnight spot treatment in the interim. While you can sometimes gently extract a whitehead, there are certain types of pimples you should never try to pop:. Pimple popping is now a full-blown cultural phenomenon. In fact, Dr. So, unless you want to deal with the aftermath of possibly doing permanent damage to your skin, leave it to a dermatologist.
But if you just have to pop your pimples, do so at your own risk. According to Dr. Shah, when you pop a pimple, all the debris from the pore can get forced deeper into the follicle, causing the follicle wall to rupture and release all the infected material into the lower layers of the skin.
Plus, you can introduce new bacteria that may be on your fingers or trapped under your nails. Whenever I get a bad pimple, my mom always tells me to take a clean washcloth, run it under warm water, and then place it on the surface in question. While my mom is no doctor, Dr. Murad told Teen Vogue to hold the warm compress on the pimple for three to five minutes to loosen the skin and open the pores so that popping will be gentler and in best case, the pimple might even pop itself.
Other spot treatments worth trying? When it comes to using a spot treatment, Dr. Dermatologist Dendy Engelman , M. Engelman, these products work by killing bacteria, drying excess oil, and forcing the skin to shed dead skin cells. Depending on the product, spot treatments can typically be used one to two times per day. If you are using a spot treatment once a day, Dr.
Shah recommends doing so at night. And yes it is possible to overdo it with spot treatments by either applying too often or too much. That may sound like common sense, but have you ever had the urge to pop a pimple or pick your skin on the way home from work?
We all do it. Pimples form when your pores become blocked. Hormones, bacteria, oils, and dead skin cells on your face can trigger an acne flare up. Your skin is filled with pores, which can become clogged with pus or oil. When this happens a pimple or cyst forms. The most common types of blemishes include:. Here are a few reasons why:. It only takes three to seven days for a pimple to heal on its own. When you pop a pimple, it can extend the time to 14 or more days before it heals. These steps may help.
If you have a zit or pimple, it can be hard to know how to handle the problem. Talk to your dermatologist about your options and the best way to take care of your skin.
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