If you have oily, acne-prone skin, chances are you’ve spent more than one sleepless night wrestling with pesky pimples. But, the struggle is real… and all too common. Unless you want to spend your entire life feeling self-conscious about your skin, it’s time to take matters into your own hands… literally. With these DIY pimple-popping tips and tricks, you can help speed up the process in just five minutes (or less)! To be clear, this article won’t provide you with a magical potion that will eliminate zits forever (sorry). But in an ideal world, we could all use pimple-popping techniques that yield impressive results in a matter of seconds.
How To Make A Pimple Come To A Head Immediately
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Use a Tissue to Pop the Zit
The first, and most basic, way to expedite the process of making a pimple come to a head is by using a tissue. Yes, you read that correctly. Instead of using your fingers (which can leave your hands stained with bacteria), grab a tissue and gently press it against your skin. The pressure from the tissue will help push out the contents of your pimple, which will help bring it to a head faster.
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Apply Ice
One of my favorite ways to make zits come to a head immediately is by applying ice directly onto the affected area. The cold temperature constricts blood vessels in your skin and reduces inflammation – both of which help speed up the healing process and bring that pesky pimple closer to its final stage! To apply ice, simply place an ice cube on top of a paper towel or napkin and gently press it against your skin for about 10 minutes (or until it melts).
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Apply Toothpaste
If you’ve ever used toothpaste on pimples before, then you know how well this trick works! Simply put some toothpaste on your fingertip and gently apply it to the affected area. Let it sit for about 30 seconds before rinsing with warm water – I usually use my fingers instead of a washcloth because I find that it’s easier for me to control how much toothpaste comes into contact with my skin.
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Use A Spot Treatment
If you’re anything like me, then you know that pimples are the bane of your existence. Sometimes, after I pop a zit, it leaves behind a red mark that takes days to fade away (if it ever does at all). To help expedite the healing process and reduce redness and inflammation, I use a spot treatment to help reduce the appearance of scars – so they’re less noticeable!
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Use a Paperclip to Extract the Contents of Your Zit
If you’ve ever extracted the contents of your zit with a paperclip, then you know how satisfying it is to see the stuff that’s been sitting in your skin suddenly come out! To use this method, simply place a small clip on top of your pimple and press down. After applying pressure for about 30 seconds, gently lift up the clip and check out what’s inside! If you want to get even more bang for your buck, try extracting a few zits at once by placing multiple paperclips on top of them (just be careful not to pop any cysts!).
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Use an Ice Cube
If ice cubes are good at making pimples come to a head immediately, then cold water must be great! To make cold water work for you, simply fill up a cup with ice cubes and submerge your face into it for about 10 seconds. This will help reduce inflammation and bring your zits closer to the surface.
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Dab Some Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is one of my favorite acne products because it has so many benefits! It contains alcohol, which helps kill bacteria – which means fewer pimples in the long run! It also contains astringents that help shrink pores – which means that they’re less noticeable (and therefore less prone to clogging). Finally, witch hazel helps tighten skin – which makes it look healthier overall!
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Try a Baking Soda Scrub
Baking soda has been used for centuries to help treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema. It helps remove dead skin cells, which in turn helps reduce the appearance of acne scars and blemishes. To make your own baking soda scrub, simply combine baking soda with some sea salt or sugar and mix it into a paste. Next, apply the paste all over your face and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
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Use a Clarisonic Brush
I’ve talked about my love for my Clarisonic brush in many of my previous posts ( here, here, here, and here ) so I won’t go on too much about them again! But if you want to learn more about what they’re all about, check out any of those posts – they’re great for beginners!
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Try a Salicylic Acid Peel
Salicylic acid is another great ingredient for fighting acne because it helps remove dead skin cells and excess oil from pores. I’ve written about how to use salicylic acid before and I’ll link it here if you want to check it out!
Why Does A Pimple Come To A Head Immediately?
- The body is trying to protect you.
- The bacteria inside the pore is multiplying and growing very quickly, causing inflammation and redness.
- The clogged pore is so big that it can no longer stay inside of your skin, so it has to open up and release the pus from within.
- This pus is mostly dead skin cells, sebum, and bacteria – all of which are toxic to your body! When the pore opens up fully, all of this stuff can come out – which means that they’re no longer inside your body!
How Do I Get Rid Of A Pimple?
- Don’t pop it! I know that it’s tempting (especially if you don’t want anyone else to see it), but popping a pimple will only make things worse in the long run! Popping a pimple can cause scarring and further inflammation, which will make more pimples appear in the future And who wants that? Not me!
- Wash your face twice per day with warm water (and maybe some mild cleanser) – this helps remove excess oil and bacteria from pores before they have time to clog up or cause any problems! If you have oily skin, you should wash your face once per day with a mild cleanser; however, if you have dry skin or live in a dry climate/seasonal area then you should wash your face twice per day with warm water only; this helps remove excess oil from your skin so that you don’t get as many pimples.
- Use a toner! Toners help remove excess dirt, makeup, and bacteria from your pores after you wash your face. I recommend using a cotton pad with a toner (like the Mario Badescu Rose Water Toner) and then patting it over your closed eyes to help remove excess makeup!
- Moisturize at night! If you have oily skin, use an oil-free moisturizer; if you have dry skin or live in a dry climate/seasonal area then use a moisturizer that is designed for dry skin! This will help keep your skin hydrated so that it doesn’t get too oily, which will reduce the number of pimples you get in the future!
- Wear sunscreen every day I know this sounds like common sense to some people, but it’s really important to wear sunscreen every day (especially if you live in a sunny place)! Sunscreen helps protect your skin from getting damaged by UV rays, which can speed up the aging process and cause wrinkles around the eyes, forehead, and mouth all of which make acne look worse! If you don’t wear sunscreen every day then make sure to use an eye cream with SPF so that the area around your eyes doesn’t get damaged by UV rays or further wrinkles when they start appearing later on in life Not fun!
- Don’t pick at your acne! It’s tempting to pick at your acne, but it will only make things worse in the long run! Picking at your acne can cause scarring and inflammation, which will make more pimples appear in the future… And who wants that? Not me!
- Don’t squeeze your acne! It’s tempting to squeeze a pimple if it hurts or is annoying you, but squeezing a pimple can cause scarring and further inflammation, which will make more pimples appear in the future… And who wants that? Not me!
- Don’t pop your pimples! I know that it’s tempting (especially if you don’t want anyone else to see it), but popping a pimple will only make things worse in the long run! Popping a pimple can cause scarring and further inflammation, which will make more pimples appear in the future… And who wants that? Not me!
- Consider taking an oral contraceptive if you are female or finasteride if you are male – these medications help control hormones so that they aren’t as likely to trigger breakouts. If you don’t want to take oral contraceptives or finasteride then consider using birth control pills as an alternative; birth control pills help reduce monthly breakouts because they reduce monthly hormone fluctuations around ovulation time (which tends to trigger breakouts).
- Consider using anti-androgens – these medications help block testosterone from binding with receptors on sebaceous glands, which helps prevent the sebaceous glands from producing too much sebum. If you don’t want to take anti-androgens then consider using an over-the-counter medication that contains spironolactone (like Aldactone) or finasteride (like Propecia) as an alternative; these medications will help reduce monthly breakouts because they block testosterone from binding with receptors on sebaceous glands and stop the sebaceous glands from producing too much sebum.
Last Word
Acne can be prevented, but it is not easy. If you are suffering from acne, it is important to see a dermatologist and find out what the best treatment for you is. Many people have found success with home remedies, but they often take a lot of time and effort to complete. If you want to avoid seeing a dermatologist and want to try home remedies for acne, make sure that your diet is healthy, that you are drinking lots of water, and that you are using all-natural skincare products.