Neosporin does not kill the most common acne-causing bacteria, so it won't typically be effective at fighting pimples or cystic acne. Because it has many moisturizing, skin-healing oils in its ingredients, Neosporin may temporarily tame irritation and also heal areas of damaged, broken skin.
Since acne is, in part, caused by bacteria, topical antibiotics (meaning, those that get applied to the skin) are one way to treat acne. Topical antibiotics are typically used mild to moderately severe inflammatory acne. Medications like clindamycin and erythromycin are most commonly used for this purpose.
Some people use Neosporin to treat acne and reduce the appearance of scars. Neosporin is a combination antibiotic that prevents infection in minor cuts and burns. Its active ingredients are neomycin, polymyxin, and bacitracin.
Triple antibiotic ointments (TAOs) are made up of three infection-fighting ingredients: Polymyxin B Sulfate, Bacitracin Zinc and Neomycin. While these three ingredients pack a powerful punch when it comes to wound care, they should be avoided when it comes to acne care.
Treat your popped pimple like an open wound, because that's basically what it is. An over-the-counter antibiotic ointment is your best friend. Dot a tiny amount directly on the popped pimple or scab. This will help speed up healing time.
You can cause a blood-filled pimple by damaging blood vessels around an existing pimple. This often happens when you pop, squeeze, pick or over-exfoliate a pimple. Blood-filled pimples usually heal on their own if you prevent further damage and keep the area clean.
It's also important to understand that Neosporin does not speed up wound healing compared to petrolatum. In 1996, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study comparing antibiotic ointment with plain petrolatum jelly.
“If you pop the pimple, it becomes a micro-wound,” explains Kazin. At this point, it's best to apply a little antibiotic ointment like Neosporin ($6, drugstore.com) at night to help speed up healing. Allowing it to “breathe” during the day without anything on it, if possible, will also help it mend faster.
Also worth mentioning, ointments, like Vaseline®, are the thickest topical agents that are available for the skin and are the most likely to clog the pores.
However, according to Vaseline's company website, Vaseline is noncomedogenic, meaning that it will not clog or block pores. Nonetheless, people who have oily or acne-prone skin may not like the greasy feeling that Vaseline leaves on the skin.
Neosporin is for use only on your skin. Avoid getting this medicine in your eyes, nose, or mouth. If this does happen, rinse with water. Avoid applying other creams, lotions, ointments, or other medicated skin products to the same areas you treat with Neosporin.
Neosporin should only be used for minor skin wounds. If a large area of skin is injured or the wound is deep, it needs to be treated by a healthcare provider. You may need to be seen at an urgent care clinic or emergency room.
Antibiotic ointments (such as Neosporin) help wounds heal by keeping out infection and by keeping the wound clean and moist. If your child has stitches, your doctor will tell you whether you should use an antibiotic ointment. Most cuts and scrapes heal without antibiotic ointment.
There's no proof that Aquaphor is an effective treatment for acne and might actually worsen acne in people prone to it.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises against touching, picking, or popping any type of clogged pore or acne.
During a facial treatment, a skincare specialist or dermatologist may offer skin extractions. Using a metal extractor tool or their hands, they manually apply pressure around clogged pores. This extracts the content of blackheads.
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Blind pimples are pimples (zits) that form under your skin. They may stay under your skin's surface, causing pain and inflammation. Or they may erupt through the surface in the form of a whitehead, blackhead or red bump. Treatment includes warm compresses and acne-fighting creams.
Even though the medication is absorbed, especially through broken or burned skin, these products aren't useful for treating infections that go deeper than the skin. The OTC antibiotic ointments Polysporin, Neosporin, and bacitracin are useful for minor skin injuries.
If you're treating a wound that's infected—it's red, painful, and oozing pus—or if the wound still looks dirty after washing it, our experts say it's fine to use Neosporin topical ointment within a year after it's expired.
Once your cut or wound has been cleaned, the next step is to apply antibiotic ointment, such as NEOSPORIN® First Aid Antibiotic Ointment. Apply a thin layer to your wound to kill bacteria and stop infection before it starts.