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.
Gently washing the skin and patting dry with a clean towel. Wrapping ice cubes in a cloth and applying to the pimple for 5–10 minutes. Taking a break for 10 minutes, and then applying ice again for another 5–10 minutes. Applying a spot treatment that contains at least 2% benzoyl peroxide.
Apply a Warm Compress
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 make the pore loose and open. It softens the pimple head and allows it to drain naturally.
According to Dr. Schultz, gently holding a warm washcloth on top of the zit every hour for three minutes at a time can bring blood to the area and help the bump come to a head. “Warm compresses can reduce swelling and bring bacteria to the surface of the skin,” says Dr.
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.
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.
Apply a warm compress
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. The heat from the compress can also help to relieve pain.
Applying ice: Wrap an ice cube or cool pack in a cloth and apply to the pimple for 5–10 minutes. Take a 10 minute break and repeat. Applying a topical treatment: Use a product that contains 2% benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide is antibacterial and is available in over-the-counter (OTC) acne treatments.
“The fastest way [to get rid of a pimple] is to go to your dermatologist and get a cortisone shot,” says Dr. Friedier. Most of the time, she says, this steroid injection, which goes straight into the lesion, brings down the inflammation, swelling, and pain from a gnarly pimple within 24 hours.
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.”
Concealer is one of the most loved make-up items, that helps to hide any irregularities, spots, pimples, and scars on your skin. It can also hide the under-eye dark circles, uneven skin tone and blemishes. You can get concealers from any cosmetic store. Concealers can be liquid, solid or even in powder form.
Products that contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or a retinoid are the key, our experts tell us. In particular, Dr. Elbuluk recommends trying over-the-counter salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products.
Popping your pimples isn't the only way to clear your skin. Here are some other options: OTC remedies that contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can be used daily to clear up breakouts and clarify pores. A cold compress or ice can be used to relieve pain and swelling from cysts, nodules, and pustules.
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.
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.
A blind pimple, also known as cystic acne, is a pimple that lives beneath the surface of your skin and doesn't come to a head. It is often in the form of a red, painful bump beneath the skin. Blind pimples are caused by oil getting trapped beneath the skin.
“I never recommend attempting to pop, pick, or poke a blind pimple—this inevitably leads to more harm than good because the pimple does not have a connection to the surface of the skin, attempting to pick it will just increase your risk of an infection or scarring,” advises Dr. Zeichner.
Nodules are a type of hard pimple that can be large and painful. They form when an infected skin pore or follicle is located deep below the skin surface. Cysts are found deep below the skin when a pus-filled membrane forms around the infection. They are likely to scar.
Use an Ice Pack
Ice packs are a well-known way to reduce inflammation in general. For blind pimples, they can be used in the same way, helping to minimize inflammation, swelling, and redness. If your blind pimple becomes super painful, an ice pack could help soothe it and make it less noticeable.
Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.