Everyone hates pimples. I know I definitely hate pimples. They are literally just big red mountains on your face that attract everyone’s eyes, ruin photos, and make your life miserable. I started getting pimples in middle school and I spent years and years since then researching how to get rid of pimples and trying multiple different methods on how to do so. Through trial and error, I think I now have a pretty solid idea about how to my pimples, and you can enjoy a compilation of all that I have learned so far about eradicating pimples below.
How do pimples form?
Pimples are formed through excess oil produced by your skin, and when the excess oil clogs your pores which causes swelling. Occasionally, bacteria will find its way into the mixture, which results in inflammation and white pus developing in the pimple. Your skin naturally produces oils to keep your face hydrated, however, during puberty, teenagers tend to get more pimples and acne due to an increase in hormones produced by the body during that time (which contribute to increased oil production).
How do you get rid of pimples?
-Ice! Icing is one of the oldest tricks in the books for removing pimples. Icing your pimple will reduce swelling and redness, therefore reducing the pimple’s lifespan. Just take some ice and wrap it around some thin cloth or paper towel, (or you can put it in a plastic bag), and then place it onto your pimple for about a minute or so. Then remove the ice, wait five minutes, and then reapply. I know one minute doesn’t sound like much, but because you do not want to damage the skin around the pimple or get an ice burn, you have to allow your skin to breathe before attacking it with ice again.
-Wash your face! It is highly recommended that you watch your face twice a day, ideally once in the morning and once at night. Do not wash your face more than twice a day though, or else your skin can dry out. At the same time, do not wash your face less than twice a day because you will then not be able to effectively rinse the oils off which have accumulated over time and will end up contributing to even more pimples.
-Exfoliate! Exfoliating is the act of using a strong face cleanser (typically one that is more powerful than a daily face cleanser) in order to remove all the dead skin cells. This allows for new healthy skin cells to rise to the surface and it makes your skin soft. Exfoliating helps with pimples as pimples are created by dead skin cells clogging your pores. However, it is important not to over-exfoliate because you can dry out your skin, which can leave your skin feeling it needs to produce more oil (which then makes your skin more oily and, in turn, creates more pimples).
-Pimple Cream! There are literally so many pimple creams on the market and at the end of the day, they all do the same exact thing: dry out your pimples. Whether it be high-end creams or drugstore creams, they all contain Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acid, both of which are active ingredients that will remove the excess oil in your skin, therefore drying out the pimple and killing the bacteria. Personally, I use the Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment because it is both affordable and effective.
-Acne Map! Meet your new best friend! The Acne Map is my favorite piece of pimple advice that I give people. I love this map so much because it is so convenient and simple, yet provides so much information about the underlying reasons we get pimples in particular areas of our face. For example, I always get pimples on my forehead and it’s almost always because of stress and lack of sleep. Therefore, by using this map, I know why I have pimples, which further translates into how I can combat these problem areas and not get pimples in the first place (because, again, everyone hates pimples). Basically, the map allows you to find the root of the cause and then work backwards. It’s a hidden gem when referring to pimple treatments!
-Let it be! This one is a tough one. I mean once you see a pimple, you’re gonna pretty much try to get rid of it as soon as possible. I use to try to pop my pimple any chance I got, but over time, I learned that that is not the best way to go. Popping your pimples may decrease the size of the pimple instantly, but it will open up a hole in your skin which invites more bacteria to come inside. In addition, popping pimples leads to acne scars on your face, which are way more annoying and harder to get rid of than the pimple itself. Pimples tend to only last half-a-week to a week and after that, it will naturally go away as your body takes care of it. Someone once told me, no one cares more about your pimple than you. And it’s true! Everyone gets pimples—it’s part of life!
Acne Map Photo via the Fashion Spot
