I remember an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie, on her way to San Francisco and a reunion with Mr. Big, discovers -- horror of all horrors -- a zit. That zit, of course, was invisible, but Carrie's subsequent agony was all too easy to identify with, once I finished hating her actually flawless skin.
Even someone with the most careful skin-care regimen is susceptible to an occasional zit. Clogged and dirty pores, the cause of a zit, are inevitable because everyday our skin is exposed to air full of dust, fungi (gross, I know), and pollution. Extra-sensitive skin like mine can also be more prone to getting zits because of reactions to skin-care products, diet, and hormone fluctuations. Although you may not be able to prevent every single zit, we can help you find effective and gentle ways to get rid of a zit quickly without further irritating your skin.
Getting Rid of Zits
Before treating a zit, identify the type of blemish. A surface-level eruption will be more receptive to topical treatmant than a deeper cyst, which will appear as faint red blemish and be sensitive and even painful to the touch. With care, you can use the steps below to get rid of a superficial zit within 1-2 days; these treatments are also practical when dealing with cysts, which may also need more extreme treatments such as cortizone injections.
Don't poke, prod, scratch, or squeeze any zit. Excessive touching of a zit will only irritate it, causing it to become even more inflamed and last longer. The bacteria from a zit can also linger on your hands and beneath your fingernails, spreading to other areas of your face and body and causing more zits.
If you must "pop" a zit, be as sterile as possible. Wash your hands and face before and after, and if you need to, use a sterilized pin (sterilized with a flame or rubbing alcohol).Only pop a zit if and when the puss or blockage is clearly visible and already emerging from the surface of your skin. Even then, sqeezing a zit can push the unseen blockage further down the pore and make the zit worse and longer-lasting. You can also apply heat to a zit to draw out the blockage, then apply cold to reduce swelling.
Don't overwash or overscrub a zit. Overzealous cleansing will only strip your skin of the natural oils it needs to be healthy. This leaves your pores unprotected and susceptible to getting a zit, and will also irritate a zit that's already there. To get rid of a zit, wash it (don't scrub) with a gentle cleanser no more than twice a day and moisturize your skin afterwards.
Use oil-free products to get rid of a zit. With oil-free and sensitive-skin formulas cleansers, moisturizers, lotions, creams, and (if you must) make-up you can treat your skin and still allow its natural balance of oils to naturally get rid of a zit. Other products can easily leave your skin oily, over-clogged, and dried-out all at onceAcne Medication
If you feel that you need a stronger treatment to get rid of a zit, look for acne creams or gels that contain no more than 2.5% benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Both chemicals are effective in getting rid of a zit, but too much of either, or using both, will dry out and inflame your skin. To get rid of a zit, apply a small amount of the acne treatment directly to the zit before you go to bed. This allows the acne cream or gel to seal in the bacteria and work overnight. For daytime treatment, look for oil-free make-up or moisturizer that contains small amounts of acne-fighting chemicals.
For a more severe zit, like a deep cyst, you may want to consider seeing a doctor or dermatologist for their professional treatment, usually a somewhat expensive (around $30) cortizone shot to reduce the swelling.
