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How To Zap Those Zits!

29 August, 2017 - 10:21pm by - Head Pixie | 22 Comments

By BR Kellie

I imagine only a rare few have yet to experience the joys of waking up to find a dirty great zit has formed on your face overnight. Or sighed in that moment where you caress your face because you're tired, fidgety or having a good old stress-soothing rub and your fingertips run over a bump that wasn't there in the morning. A bump that when you take out your compact for further investigation is raging red, or a pustacular shade of greeny yellowy white. Random zits, while not likely to end the world as we know it, can make us feel less than glamorous. Even if no one else notices them, we know they're there.

Of course, random zits aren't the same as an ongoing issue or acne, and if you're concerned about the state of your skin seek out a trained professional for advice and a regime that will (fingers crossed!) help with the situation. But for these one-offs there are measures we can take to reduce the inflamation, to deal to the rarrness, and to hasten the healing process. And no, squeezing the living daylight out of them isn't one of them. Pity, I know. So what can we do to zap the zits? Check these ideas out...

Ice Ice Baby. Yup, if the redness is real laying a little ice upon the spot can bring down the inflammation and the size. Once you've iced it might look a little more red to begin with, but it will subside. One tip? Don't apply the ice directly to your skin. Instead wrap it in muslin, or a thin fabric, then ice it for five minutes. Give it a break for ten to fifteen then re-ice for another five minutes.

This Can Work To A Tea... Tree. But avoid if you've sensitive skin and do a spot test first. Yes, tea tree oil is a potential zit zapper. It not only soothes but disinfects. But you don't want to be going all crazy with it. Take a little oil on a cotton tip and tab it onto the affected area, then after twenty or so minutes, or longer if you know your skin can handle it, gently remove the oil with a dampened, soft face cloth. 

Oh Honey Honey... well, specifically, Manuka Honey. How lucky are we to live in a country where it's so readily available? This magical treat from nature has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, so dabbing a little on your zit will help clear away the bacteria while reducing its angry self. Let it get to work while you're munching a bit of honey on toast, then wipe off once you're done with your morning routine.

Clay Is The Way. If a whitehead of mountainous proportions is setting up camp on your face or you can feel an angry blind pimple threatening to burst its way forward, then doing a spot clay mask can help by bringing all the toxins to the surface. Simply do a spot treatment, being sure to cover the entire pimple area, then let the mask do its thing for twenty odd minutes or overnight if your skin can handle it. READ THIS:  If you are going to try overnight, know what you're using and read the instructions if it's a new-to-you product. I've used a clay mask that the instructions said had to be washed off after three minutes and if I hadn't obeyed I fear my skin would have paid some wicked price because it was strooooooong. Once you've masked, wash it away add a pimple gel or lotion on top, like... 

What Witchcraft Is This? This is my personal favourite to dealing with pimples. Witch Blemish Gel. I've tried all sorts of gels to help reduce or prevent a pimple in my time. Ranging from the affordable to the ridiculous in price. This one beats them all hands down in that, in my experience, it severely reduces the pimples life-span. It doesn't disappear overnight, but it gets the heck of my face much faster than other products I've used have. Oh and it's just over $10 - so totally worth a go! 

Hang Those Pimples Out To Dry!  Of course, if you're wanting to spend a few extra pingers and willing to believe the hype... Mario Badescus Drying Lotion is said to be the holy grail of overnight pimple treatments. I'm tempted to try it, but not as tempted as I am by these...

A Master Stroke? Of course, being a bit of a skincare junkie, my head was turned by the idea of sticker treatments, in particular the COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch. These little clear hydrocolloid patches adhere to the skin and then work to remove the gunk that's causing the pimples while ensuring outside polluntants don't get in to cause infection or make the pimple worse. They say you can even apply makeup over the top, though I'd be interested to know how that would look texturally.

Oh how I wish these had existed when I woke up the day before my wedding day with Mount Vesuvius taking up residence on the right hand side of my chin. Thank goodness for talented makeup artists.

So, what spot treatment (pun totally intended) do you use to battle the beasties that rise in fury on your forehead, cheeks or chin? What do we pimple-prone folks need to know? Sharing is caring... especially when it comes to waging war on the whiteheads! 

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Comments

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13th September, 2017

I have one of those pimple lotions, it's a Korean brand one, only like $6 and it's amazing on like my little zits. Not so good one the sore blind ones. Really want to try the patches. Apparently the COSRX range is really good for acne prone skin too.

13th September, 2017

My teenager uses toothpaste - I can't recall where that idea came from but I must admit I have used it every now and then and it seems to work. Tea Tree is definitely amazing, and zovirax works brilliantly for the weepy kind of pimple too

5th September, 2017

Wow, I did not know about the tea tree oil trick! I use this on my sons psoriasis on his scalp and it clears it up pretty quickly. I tend to use antiseptic cream on any stubborn spots, or some witch hazel, as this stops them from being red and angry ( as well as prevents bruises if I pick at them!)

4th September, 2017

There's a few Mario Badescu products that are great for pimples - there's a baldy wash and another spot treatment that are great too!

3rd September, 2017

I usually use a hot flannel to open the pores first and then apply garlic (yes garlic) and just massage it in. Then I leave it to dry. I only do this if its a weekend or night as I don't want to scare anyone off with the smell. I then get the hot cloth and remove garlic residue. I then apply a face mask if I have time - the black charcoal peel off one or my latest favourite Lush Just to Clarify face mask. Then wash off. If its night I will apply tea tree after it. If heading to work I tend to just apply my usual oil and then apply my BB cream and concealer.

3rd September, 2017

I only get the odd spot when it is that time of the month and it usually is not that bad because I have been taking a skin,hair,nails supplement for a couple of years now and I swear by this.It contains Evening Primrose Oil,Vitamin A,Fish Oil,Zinc,Silica,Vitamin E,Vitamin B5,Vitamin B6,Vitamin C and Vitamin D3.On the odd ocassion I do get a vicious looking pimple crop up I just dab a little squirt of Simple Spot Zapper on it which has Witch Hazel,Chamomile,Zinc and Lavender in the ingredients and by the next day the redness and swelling has gone down.I have found this to be quite drying on the skin though so I only use a very small amount for that reason.

1st September, 2017

I'm nearly 46 and still get zits!!! Annoying much? I do think though that they are mostly hormone related, you know, that time of the month. So I really just have to grin and bear it :)

1st September, 2017

I have the L'Oréal pure clay detox mask and it's great. All the 3 ranges seems to be good as reviewed by my friends but I have personally used the charcoal and it's nice.

31st August, 2017

Hydrocolloid bandages are honestly a miracle. You can buy big squares of them at the pharmacy for heel blisters and them cut them up to size. I stick one over a pimple over night and it sucks out all that pus (sounds gross I know) but in the morning the bump will be gone. Then I put on some pure tea tree oil with a cotton bud.

30th August, 2017

The LOreal clay mask is the absloute best!

30th August, 2017

Wow, there's lots to choose from! I like the ice idea.

30th August, 2017

Oh this article could not have come at a better time! I've got so many random breakouts all of sudden - might try the honey because that's on hand!

30th August, 2017

I actually have the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. I get mixed results with it. I wouldn't say it always works overnight although usually I have to use for a couple of nights but it does work on less determined pimples. Recently I had an angry out break of zits and some rather determined ones stuck around for a week looking large, red and pus filled even with this applied nightly it took them a long time to calm down. Another treatment I would recommend for sensitive skin is Living Nature's Manuka gel as that doesn't sting and seems to work a fair amount of times. Another treatment that is pricey but good if you have pimples coming up from congested skin is the Kate Somerville Exfoliate for acne skin I had a bunch of small pimples cropping up over the course of the day due to have some whiteheads the following and I used it that night and the next day they are completely gone! It stopped the breakout from forming.

30th August, 2017

I am tempted to look into the last 2. I usually zap mine with tea tree oil and a face mask.

30th August, 2017

I have the mario badescu and swear by it.