How to Get Rid of Acne Spots

Minimize acne spots for beautiful skin.

Unfortunately, few people survive their teen years without suffering at least an occasional acne break-out. For many, acne continues into their adult years, causing embarrassment and prompting the sufferer to search the cosmetic counters for means to cover the spots. Take some tips from the pros when you want to get rid of those spots, at least temporarily.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Minimize Acne Break-outs

1. Keep your skin clean but don't irritate it. Many facial scrubs contain large bits of exfoliates that can create tiny abrasions on your skin. Because the abrasions make your entire face red, the acne break-out is less noticeable by comparison but in reality, tearing up your skin does nothing to reduce pimples. Instead, try a scrub for sensitive skin and rub it on lightly before rinsing with cool water.

2. Soothe the redness. An acne break-out results in inflamed red pimples due to the pressure in the blocked pores. Prevention is the key but when a pimple is swollen and staring angrily at the world from the center of your forehead, it’s time to enact damage control.

3. Chill the zit with an ice cube wrapped in a few layers of facial tissue. Dampen the tissue slightly and hold it lightly on the pimple. Avoid putting an ice cube directly on an acne breakout to keep from freezing the delicate tissue and further irritating the problem.

4. Treat the pimple as you would poison ivy or a bout of contact dermatitis. Calamine lotion, dabbed on the spots before bedtime, will reduce the pain and itching sensation and help dry out the zit. Likewise, a little bit of baking soda, mixed with a drop of water, creates a paste you can apply to pimples before you go to sleep.

Cover Pimples Effectively

1. Use makeup artist techniques to cover an acne break-out for a few hours. Despite your best hygiene routine, zits happen. It’s a well-known fact that your face will be clear and acne-free when you are sitting at home alone but as soon as the cute guy from science class asks you out, you’ll promptly develop a large zit.

2. Keep an arsenal of zit-covering items for use when you absolutely must make that zit invisible or as close to invisible as possible.

3. Pop the pimple only if it is very inflamed and the pus is visible below the skin. Once a zit reaches this stage, removing the pus, very carefully, is necessary. Hold a very warm washcloth on the zit for a few minutes to open your pores. Gently pop the zit with clean fingertips but don’t irritate the area by squeezing too hard.

4. Follow by washing your face with a gentle scrub, massaging your entire face and neck and rinsing with cool water. Pat your face dry and apply a thin layer of non-greasy moisturizer. Allow the moisturizer to “set,” forming a smooth surface on your skin.

5. Apply your foundation makeup and allow it to dry before using a soft dry washcloth (microfiber is good) and buffing your face to remove excess foundation. Avoid buffing the pimples but buff thoroughly around your eyebrows and hairline.

6. Dab a teeny-tiny amount of concealer directly onto the zit. The key here is to use a very small amount and put it only on the pimple. A cotton swab is handy for applying the concealer correctly. Allow the concealer to dry.

7. Repeat the application of your foundation makeup very carefully, dabbing only a tiny amount on the zit. Once again, allow the foundation to dry and buff off the excess. The reason this works is because the makeup smooths the skin, including the pimples, when applied in thin layers and buffed so it doesn’t appear caked-on.

8. Finish with a light dusting of facial powder. Don’t skip this step. Powder removes shine and when your face is shiny every little pore is visible. Think about wall paint. If you paint a wall with glossy paint, you will see every single ding and dent. However, if you use a flat paint, the imperfections don’t reflect the light and no one in the room will see them.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose quality concealer, moisturizer and foundation make-up. Have a complimentary makeover in a department store to determine the best shades for you.

• Resist popping pimples that haven't come to a head. Squeezing too hard will result in swelling and the zit will be harder to cover effectively.