Waking up with a massive pimple after sleeping with clear skin can be a nightmare. Acne is one of the most prevalent and noticeable skin conditions that affects 80% of people. Although it may come as whitehead or blackhead, it can also appear to be a red, swollen, and painful bump that develops in the skin, which is a severe type of acne.
Even though there is no overnight or immediate cure for acne, you don’t have to standby and suffer. Thankfully, there are ways to tackle a severe acne type at home to alleviate and reduce the size of a pimple, swelling, and redness. Here are the DO’s and DON’Ts to treat deep and painful pimple:
Wash your skin gently with a mild, fragrance-free cleanser before treating your skin. As soon as you notice the blemish, wrap an ice cube in a clean towel and apply it to the area for five to ten minutes with 10-minute breaks between the icing. Repeat this twice to reduce pain and swelling. Apply a product that contains 2% benzoyl peroxide very thinly to the pimple. Make sure that you don’t apply too much because it can irritate the skin. Also, consider using white sheets as it bleaches fabrics.
Once the whitehead begins to form, apply a warm compress directly to your skin for 10 to 15 minutes. When making a warm compress, soak a clean washcloth in hot water, then put it on your skin. Ensure that it is not too hot to avoid burns. Do it 3-4 times daily until the pimple releases the pus and heals. Although it is tempting, do not pop, squeeze, or pick at the blemish. Doing this can make your acne more noticeable and make you prone to infection, discoloration of the skin, and scarring.
Stop applying homemade treatments found online. You may come across countless pieces of advice on the internet about natural home remedies for treating acne. However, just because something is natural does not mean it is not harmful to your skin. Even if a natural ingredient is good for the skin, it could be dangerous when mixed with another component.
Visit a board-certified dermatologist like GLOJAS to help treat pimple and prevent future breakouts such as retinoids and antibiotics.