Sometimes it can happen that a large pimple appears just the day before an important appointment; in those cases, our greatest wish is for it to disappear completely overnight. While results are not guaranteed for all types of acne or skin, there are effective remedies to cleanse the skin quickly.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Rules for Properly Cleaning the Skin
Step 1. Don't wash your face too often
Many believe that to make a pimple disappear in a few hours it is necessary to clean the skin repeatedly, but the truth is that by rubbing it frequently you will end up making it dry and irritated. If your skin becomes dehydrated due to too much cleansing, you will even risk waking up with more pimples than the previous day! In general, cleansing the skin twice a day is enough to keep it clean and healthy.
Even if the pimple does not completely go away, cleaning the skin the appropriate number of times reduces the inflammation and subsequent redness, making it less noticeable. Conversely, rubbing it too often can cause it to become dry and irritated, also fueling the redness
Step 2. Use a mild, oily-free cleanser
In addition to avoiding cleaning your skin too often, you need to make sure you are using the correct product. Cleansers with a grainy texture, as well as those that contain harsh chemicals, can dehydrate the skin. When the skin becomes too dry, the body tries to take cover by increasing the production of sebum, consequently the number of pimples or blackheads risks increasing instead of decreasing. For this reason it is important to use a mild-acting cleanser, free of oily substances, that contains one of the ingredients recommended by dermatologists to clean the skin on the face properly: for example, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
In addition to being free from oily substances, a good facial cleanser should not contain "comedogenic" ingredients. A "non-comedogenic" or "anticomedogenic" cosmetic is a cosmetic that does not contain substances that favor the occlusion of the pores - and therefore the formation of new pimples or blackheads
Step 3. The best tool for washing your face is clean fingers
Sponges, microfibre cloths and all other accessories for cleaning the face are designed to exfoliate the skin; their slightly abrasive action can therefore risk making it red and irritated, particularly if you have a predisposition to acne. Instead of scrubbing your skin with these skin cleansing accessories, simply use your clean fingertips to make gentle circular motions. When it's time to dry it, gently pat it dry with a clean towel and don't rub it, or you risk irritating the pimples further.
In addition to being abrasive, many of these skin exfoliating accessories lie soaked on the edge of the tub or hung in the shower and become a breeding ground for thousands of bacteria. By using them to scrub your skin, you risk expanding the amount of germs that cause pores to clog instead of eliminating them
Step 4. Use an acne cream
In addition to avoiding touching your face too often, it is important to use a localized acne treatment. Purchase an ointment that contains benzoyl peroxide specifically formulated to treat acne, and apply it where you need it following the directions on the package insert. Spread it on clean skin, using your (clean) fingers or a cotton swab.
Step 5. Use a moisturizer
If the cleanser has made your skin particularly dry, apply a moisturizer only to the areas that aren't affected by acne. If you followed the suggestion from the previous step, the pimples will have already been treated with a benzoyl peroxide ointment by now. For the rest of the skin, you should choose a "non-comedogenic" cream to prevent it from clogging the pores and worsening the acne situation. There are moisturizers that also have an anti-acne effect: ask your pharmacist or perfumery for advice.
Part 2 of 2: Keeping the Skin Clean and Soothed
Step 1. Don't squeeze the pimples
Although in some cases it can help eliminate them faster, it would be impossible to heal a wound on the face in a few hours. When you squeeze a pimple, the bacteria contained within it spreads to the surrounding area; It also causes a lesion on the surface of the skin, which will take much longer to heal and disappear than a simple pimple.
Step 2. Don't try to cover pimples with cosmetics unless absolutely necessary
If you have an important appointment scheduled for tomorrow, avoid wearing makeup today. You may feel embarrassed by going out without a concealer, but remember that leaving the skin free for as long as possible increases the chances that pimples will heal quickly.
- In general, the risk that cosmetics can clog pores increases with foundations and cream blushes, while it is lower with mineral or high-water content ones. As with detergents, it is best to look for products that are free from oily or "non-comedogenic" substances. Remember, however, that the best way to promote rapid skin healing is to leave it clean and free to breathe.
- If you just can't help but wear makeup today, at least cleanse your skin thoroughly as soon as you get home. Even if it is late and you are very tired, clean it carefully before going to sleep, otherwise it is very likely that you will wake up in even worse conditions tomorrow.
- Like facial cleansing accessories, cosmetic applicators can also be a breeding ground for germs. For this reason it would be better to throw them away and use cotton swabs or disposable cotton pads. In cases where applicators need to be used, it is important to wash them regularly and replace them often.
Step 3. Avoid any other oily products
Any greasy substance that may accumulate on the skin of the face, such as those contained in hair products, can aggravate acne conditions, with the risk of new pimples developing overnight. Try not to use any hair products that contain oily substances; Also, cover your face when applying hairspray, gel, or any other spray product.
Step 4. Keep your hair away from your face
Even when perfectly clean, hair can cause pores to clog due to its natural oils. While it is convenient to try to hide skin imperfections behind a tuft or fringe, especially if you have taken up the suggestion to avoid makeup, the best thing to do to encourage a quick disappearance of the pimples is to keep the hair away from the face.
Step 5. Don't touch your face
When you know you have a pimple, you are tempted to touch it all the time, but your dirty and greasy fingers are just a complication that prevents you from getting rid of it quickly. The best thing you can do is try not to touch your face at all. The same problem also affects the telephone; generally, we tend not to realize it, but we constantly touch the cell phone with dirty fingers and keep it in contact with equally unclean objects or fabrics, which can become fertile ground for germs. By holding the phone to your face, you will allow these germs to transfer to your skin. If you want the pimples to disappear quickly, and no more to form, at least use speakerphone or text messaging for today.
Step 6. No to the sun or tanning beds
It's not true that ultraviolet rays miraculously dry pimples quickly, so don't try to run for cover with a tanning lamp or sun exposure. Conversely, the added sweat caused by the intense heat and oily substances contained in sunscreen products may even aggravate the problem you were hoping to solve.
If you have already consulted a dermatologist and are using medications for external use, for example those belonging to the retinoid family, your skin is even more sensitive than normal; ultraviolet rays are therefore a solution absolutely to be discarded
Step 7. Discard the toothpaste remedy as well
Many people are convinced that applying a little toothpaste on pimples is a miracle cure that allows you to get rid of them more quickly, but this is a false belief. Toothpaste contains some ingredients that can help heal pimples, such as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, but the way they're formulated doesn't make them any more effective than cleansers or ointments specifically designed to fight acne. Furthermore, the pH of the toothpaste and the other ingredients that compose it irritate the skin rather than soothe its inflammation; as a result, they can make pimples even more red and noticeable.
Step 8. Make sure you get a good night's sleep
While you sleep, your body naturally repairs itself. The results of some studies have shown that cell turnover is 8 times faster during sleep; for this reason, giving the body 8 hours of rest is an excellent way to accelerate the disappearance of pimples.
Step 9. Maintain a skin cleansing regimen
If looking in the mirror the next morning you noticed that the pimple is still there despite all the strategies put in place, do not panic: other people will not give it the same importance that you are giving it! Plus, having a pimple is certainly not the end of the world. Do not stop following the rules explained in the article and, if the imperfections do not completely disappear within 3 months, consider contacting a dermatologist to have a specific drug treatment prescribed.
