What can I do to banish blemishes quickly?

Big pimples always seem to arrive at the worst possible moments. Pimples, or acne, are made up of a combination of sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria that have accumulated within a pore and form a plug, leading to inflammation and swelling. While there is no magic eraser for blemishes, here are a few tips for improving their appearance as quickly as possible.

Ice can help reduce swelling when applied to blemishes. Try an over the counter acne medication such as Acnecide gel formulated with benzoyl peroxide, which has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, to help banish spots. Aspirin tablets, when crushed and mixed with water, form an anti-inflammatory paste that will improve redness when applied to pimples for several hours or overnight. Over the counter hydrocortisone can also help alleviate redness and inflammation when applied directly to a spot. Be careful to only use a small amount and only really when you’re in a pinch, as long term use of steroid creams can actually cause and/or exacerbate acne.

Blue LED has been shown to help reduce acne causing bacteria from the skin and clear blemishes. Professional LED units tend to be stronger and work faster than home use devices, but there are many effective options now available. Foreo Espada Blue Light Acne Treatment and Tria Acne Clearing Blue Light target are small, hand help devices for targeting individual blemishes. Acne patches, for example by Starface or ZitSticka, help deliver targeted ingredients to promote faster healing while also temporarily covering spots, making you less likely to pick.

For the fastest blemish blasting, especially before a big event, consult with a dermatologist, who can inject a small amount of cortisone directly into a pimple, significantly reducing its appearance typically within 24-48 hours.