"The most common way to address these issues is to use benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, tree oil, or salicylic acid products before you go to bed," says Dr. Patel. Benzoyl peroxide is a bleaching agent that kills microbes and dries up oil in the follicle.
The expert consensus is a resounding “no.” The AAD notes that toothpaste can make your skin much worse: “Toothpaste contains several ingredients that can clog your pores and irritate your skin, such as hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, alcohol, and menthol.”
Salicylic Acid
Used overnight, products containing salicylic acid can be effective at reducing the effects of blemishes by the morning. A good salicylic acid treatment will do more than just shrink a pimple, however.
Your best bet for quickly calming things down and reducing the size of your breakout is to treat it with ice (FYI, cold has anti-inflammatory properties). Simply wrap an ice cube in a clean towel and hold it to your pimple on-and-off for five minutes. You can also use an ice roller or cryo balls if you have them handy.
Use a hydrocortisone cream as a spot treatment.
In this instance, use it as a spot treatment, and try to leave it on for around 15 minutes before rinsing it off. The longer you let it sit, the more effective it will be when you try to shrink the pimple.
Icing a pimple may help reduce pain, redness, and swelling due to inflammatory acne. However, ice may provide little or no benefit for noninflammatory pimples. People who decide to try icing a pimple should always wrap ice cubes and frozen gel packs in a clean cloth or plastic bag.
The best way to make a zit go away fast is to apply a dab of benzoyl peroxide, which you can buy at a drug store in cream, gel or patch form, says Shilpi Khetarpal, MD. It works by killing bacteria that clogs pores and causes inflammation. You can buy it in concentrations ranging from 2.5% to 10%.
If you've only got a few hours…
Grab an ice pack, or a single ice cube if your fingers can bare it, and apply it directly onto your pimple. Hold it this way for as long as you can stand it, then take a break for a few seconds, and repeat at least twice more.
Pimples usually last between three and seven days. Most pimples go away on their own, but it may take some time. Deep pimples (pimples under your skin with no head that may feel hard to the touch) may take a few weeks to go away, if not longer.
For those with painful, cystic acne, ice can help to numb the area while reducing redness. Whiteheads can be brought to a head with a warm compress—it'll hasten the healing process too.
It turns out heat actually causes more swelling. So unless your goal is to plump up your pimples even more, it's time to introduce some cold into your regimen. Cool temperatures will shrink blemishes and help them become less noticeable, but the emphasis should be on cool.
Apply a warm compress
Applying a warm compress can help to treat a blind pimple. The heat can open up pores, which may draw the pimple closer to the skin's surface and create a head. The formation of a head enables the sebum, cells, and bacteria to exit the skin.
Acne commonly starts during puberty between the ages of 10 and 13 and tends to be worse in people with oily skin. Teenage acne usually lasts for five to 10 years, normally going away during the early 20s. It occurs in both sexes, although teenage boys tend to have the most severe cases.
Examples include white bread, corn flakes, puffed rice, potato chips, white potatoes or fries, doughnuts or other pastries, sugary drinks such as milkshakes, and white rice. Findings from small studies suggest that following a low-glycemic diet may reduce the amount of acne you have.
Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
Blind pimples usually go away in about a week or two with the proper treatments. But they can linger under your skin for a few months, causing pain and irritation. In severe cases, the oil and dead skin cells can block the pores deep under your skin, which traps bacteria and causes an infection.
Try a spot treatment or pimple patch
You've probably seen these emergency pimple treatments at the drugstore — usually an extra-strong solution of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide. And yep, they can actually get rid of pimples overnight.
Basically, what happens if you don't pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days. It may happen that you wake up one morning and notice the pimple is gone. Or you may notice the pimple draining.
Avoid oily or greasy cosmetics, moisturizers, sunscreens and acne cover-ups. Prefer products that are water based and not likely to block pores (noncomedogenic). Forgetting to wash your face daily. Problem areas need gentle cleansing with lukewarm water and mild soap.