Almost everyone gets a blemish once in a while, and you are probably no exception. Unfortunately, your body doesn't care whether you have a date or a school photo, and a huge zit may pop up in the middle of your nose right before an important event. Instead of picking the zit or trying to cover it up, you may be able to reduce the redness and swollen appearance of the blemish using home remedies, over-the-counter care and, if necessary, help from a dermatologist.
Step 1
Apply a sulfur drying liquid or lotion directly to the blemish to help shrink it and dry it out, notes Petra Guglielmetti in the article "How To Not Let A Huge Pimple Ruin Your Wedding Day" in Glamour magazine. You can purchase a sulfur drying liquid at drugstores or department stores.
Step 2
Place a piece of ice on the pimple as soon as you feel it begin to pop up, says Mary Lupo, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans in "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women."
Step 3
Place a dab of a clay facial mask on the pimple if it is a blackhead. Wait until the mask is completely dry, then wash off the clay mask and apply a nasal blackhead strip to the area. Leave the nasal strip on the skin for several minutes, until the paper is stiff, then carefully peel it off to remove the blackhead.
Step 4
Place a warm washcloth over the pimple if it has a white head. Hold the washcloth on the pimple for several minutes, then wrap both index fingers in a tissue. Carefully apply gentle pressure to either side of the pimple to pop it. If the pimple does not pop using gentle pressure, do not continue to squeeze it.
Step 5
Take an aspirin to reduce swelling, suggests Susan C. Taylor, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia in "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies." Take aspirin exactly as directed on the label's instructions.
Step 6
See your dermatologist for a cortisone shot to reduce redness and swelling quickly. The pimple will shrink in approximately 24 hours.
Tips and Warnings
- To cover up a pimple, dab it with a concealer that is an exact match with your skin tone.
- Consult a doctor if you have persistent acne that does not clear up with over-the-counter treatments.
Things You'll Need
- Sulfur drying liquid
- Clay facial mask
- Nasal blackhead strip
- Washcloth
- Tissue
- Aspirin
- Cortisone shot
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