There are many reasons why you may get pimples (or breakouts), it is very common for men and women to get them at any point in their life. They could be caused by hormones, clogged pores, products that are not suited to your skin type or routines that are too harsh, to only name a few.
We get it, it can be annoying and in some cases even painful, but remember that you have to be careful when dealing with pimples as you could cause more harm to your skin in the long term, leading to scarring which is more complicated to treat. That being said, there are some things you can do to help the healing process. Here are a few things to try.
Applying cold on the pimple
If you have an angry, swollen and painful pimple, this is probably the first thing you can try as it’s simple and cheap. Applying something cold to the area is an effective way of soothing the pain and will help in the healing process.
There are several ways you could do this. While you can find fancy tools, you could also reach for a spoon placed in the fridge and hold that on your skin for a while. You could also use ice cubes or a gel pack, in which case you should NOT apply it directly to your skin. Wrap ice or gel packs in a clean, thin kitchen towel so you can safely feel the cold sensation without damaging your skin.
Leave the cold spoon or wrapped ice/gel pack on for a few minutes and repeat throughout the day to help ease the pain and temporarily reduce swelling.
Use spot treatments
It’s usually not recommended that you pop your pimple as it can lead to scarring – and that opens up a whole lot more issues. Instead, prefer using spot treatments which will help dry out the spot and heal it to prevent scarring or limit hyperpigmentation.
When getting a pimple, it’s common to reach out for products suited for oily/acne prone skin. While these can help, they often can dry you out too much, particularly if you have combination skin. Your whole face may not need treatment, so spot treatments are ideal in this case.
Spot treatments are usually creams or patches that you would apply at night so they work while you sleep, and you wake up with a spot already reduced. They often pack a punch of a powerful ingredient such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulfur and help reduce inflammation. As a bonus, pimple patches often prevent you from picking your spot!
A cult classic to try would be the Cosrx acne pimple master patch which you can find on Skinsider.
Washing your face properly
When it comes to preventing and dealing with breakouts, cleansing is a very important step. In the evenings, make sure to properly cleanse your skin to remove all traces of makeup, sunscreens or dirt.
On the otherside, many people who suffer from breakouts tend to over-cleanse their skin or use products that are too harsh. Over-exfoliating can aggravate pimples so it’s important to treat your skin gently, even if you are breaking out.
Foaming cleansers tend to be very drying, instead prefer a gel cleanser to follow your makeup removal. You can use exfoliating products, such as salicylic acid, but these should only be used twice a week.
Dealing with breakouts and pimples require a bit of patience, but hopefully with these tips you will feel more prepared next time you spot one (no pun intended!) in the mirror. Remember that almost everyone gets pimples so take a breath, take care of your skin and enjoy your life!
