How to Get Rid of a Pimple

It's the morning of a big interview, the prom, a date with the hottest guy at work. You get out of bed with a spring in your step, glance in the mirror, and instantly your horrified: a pimple has, overnight, erupted on your face and you can't imagine how in the world to get rid of it in time for the big event. There's not a person in this world who doesn't know the feeling. Thankfully, there's help! How to safely and effectively get rid of a pimple or acne outbreak without damaging your skin.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ice pack
• Salicylic acid ointment
• Mild acne cleanser
• Tea bag or lemon wedge
• Cotton ball

1. Do not pop the pimple! I know it's tempting, but try to keep your hands off of it. The oils in your skin (hands) just make the situation worse. Also, popping the pimple just spreads bacteria and it can scar your face.

2. Apply an ice pack every 30 minutes to the spot. This will help some of the redness and swelling to disipate.

3. Use a mild acne cleanser, followed with an exfoliator. This will help to remove the dead skin cell build up and allow the pimple to "breathe" and heal more quickly.

4. Apply an ointment containing salicylic acid (an anti-acne agent) to the pimple. This will help to dry the bump up and make it go away more quickly. Follow with an oil-free non-comodogenic moisturizer as many of these ointments can cause excessive drying of the surrounding skin.

5. Use concealer. This will cover any residual redness and make the pimple appear less noticeable.

Tips & Warnings

• Lemon juice and a wet, warm tea bag are also helpful in drying up the pimple.
• Facial masks are helpful in preventing recurrent break-outs.
• Decreasing the amount of saturated fats, oily foods, and sugar in your diet can counteract acne.