Best Life Hacks to Get Rid of Pimples

While getting acne is a normal skin condition that can affect at one time or another, having pimples can get painful as well as embarrassing. For some people, pimples become the reason for low self-esteem. The worst thing is most of us think that using vigorous mechanical scrubbing, harsh chemicals, and laser treatments are the best ways to get rid of occasional pimples. Often these solutions can aggravate the problem.

If you are also one of the victims of pimples and looking for the best solutions to get rid of them, you are in the right place. However, before you read the remedies to remove those pimples that are getting in the way of your beauty, understand the physiology behind them.

Physiology behind Pimples

If you already know how acne forms – great, you can skip this point and check out the life hacks to get rid of pimples below. However, if you want to know the reason why they come in the first place, read on!

In most cases, the glands in our skin become irritated and begin to produce excessive oil, which ultimately results in a saturation of the gland. This excess oil does no good and traps bacteria normally found on our skin and results in infection and production of pus.

We get acne on our face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. Why commonly on these areas? This is because there are more oil glands in these areas. The function of these oil glands is to excrete sebum (oil substance) to lubricate the skin, hence making it look glowing.

Why Shouldn’t You Pop Your Pimples?

Popping pimples is oddly satisfying, but it can lead to loss of tissues that results in acne scars or spots that you can never get rid of.  Popping them might seem like the quickest way to make them disappear from your skin, but unfortunately, it is not. In fact, it is the fastest way to damage your skin permanently. So basically when you’re squeezing a pimple, you are forcing the sebum and dead skin cells deeper into the follicle.

The extra pressure you exert will make the follicle wall rupture and spill the infected materials into the innermost part of your skin, hence causing acne scars. In short, NEVER pop your pimples even if it seems fun.

Following are some of the best life hacks to get rid of pimples:

Aspirin Mask

a woman with a mask on her face

If your skin is inflamed, using aspirin mask can effectively reduce inflammation. Wondering how? This is because aspirin is anti-inflammatory, making it a quick and cheap way to reduce pimples. The best thing about using this lifehack is that most of us usually have aspirin lying around at home.

Here is how you can make an aspirin mask for your skin:

  1. Mix 3 parts of water and 1 part aspirin to make a mixture.
  2. Add honey or plain yogurt for rejuvenation (optional).
  3. Mix all the ingredients well. Once the mixture gets thickened, grab a Q-tip and apply it to the aggravated area.
  4. The paste will take about 20-30 minutes to harden and begin to flake off.
  5. Take a wet wipe, face cloth, or a wet tissue and wipe the paste off.

Ice

four ice cubes

If your pimple hasn’t yet produced pus, you can use ice to reduce swelling and make the oil glands constrict and remove the excess oil and bacteria from the irritated glands. Here is how:

  1. Grab a piece of cloth, wrap the ice cubes in it.
  2. Put and hold it on the affected area for a few minutes.
  3. Take a break, wait a few minutes, and repeat the process.

Tip: apply ice on the pimples multiple times throughout the day, and they will resolve in a day or two.

Aloe Vera Gel

 

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is one of the best solutions for not just getting rid of pimples but also cooling down your skin, removing excess oil, and reducing the inflammation of pimples. If you don’t want to buy aloe vera gel from drug stores or organic markets, you can also make it at home very easily. Here is how:

  1. Cut a leaf of the aloe vera plant, or if you already have a leaf, move to the next step.
  2. Slide your blade just under the skin to get to its flesh.
  3. Place a clean bowl underneath and cut the flesh into two or three pieces.
  4. Put the flesh into the bowl and blend it into your blender until smooth.
  5. Keep the gel in your refrigerator until it gets cool.
  6. Apply the aloe vera gel on the affected area of your skin.

Natural Mask

 

Natural Mask

The clay mask you buy from the pharmacy store cleans the skin well and remove toxins. Plus, it is very hostile to acne, making it an excellent choice for resolving pimples. You can also make a natural mask at home using organic ingredients. For instance, you can make a mask made from fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Naturally, they are sour and can dry the acne, which is the most important part in order to get rid of it.

Another mask you can make is using fresh yeast with a little warm water. Combine both of these ingredients and apply the mixture on the affected area. Put it on for at least an hour. Rinse your face and enjoy smooth and much-less-inflamed skin.

Benzoyl Peroxide

 

Benzoyl Peroxide

You can easily get Benzoyl Peroxide from any drug store as you don’t need any prescription to buy it. It is one of the best ways to fight acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Benzoyl Peroxide works great in killing acne-causing bacteria. You can apply it on your skin daily to help keep acne under control.

Benzoyl Peroxide is available in a wide range of formulas having different strengths (usually between 2 and 10 percent). You can get it in various forms, including creams, gels, washes, and wipes. For this life hack, you should get your hands on a Benzoyl Peroxide cream or spot treatment.

Put some of the cream on your pimple and cover the area using a small bandage before going to bed. You should cover it well because you don’t want the formula getting rubbed off on your pillow.

Toothpaste

 

Toothpaste

If you have a mammoth pimple on your face and want to take care of it quickly, toothpaste is one of the best options. Wondering why toothpaste is so effective on it? This is because toothpaste contains silica (the same substance that is used to keep moisture out). Toothpaste works great in drying the pimple and reducing its size significantly overnight.

Simply, apply some toothpaste on the infected area and wash it off in the morning.

Lemon

 

one full and one sliced lemon on a leaf

Another best life hack to resolve pimples is using fresh lemon juice. The citric acid in the lemon works as an antiseptic and kill the bacteria in the oil gland, while also working as an astringent to dry up the excess oil. Here are a few ways you can apply this remedy to get rid of pimples:

  1. Apply the lemon juice using a clean, sterile cotton swab to the infected areas before going to bed.
  2. If you have more stubborn pimples that don’t want to leave you alone, you can create a mixture of lemon juice and cinnamon powder and dab it onto the pimples just before going to bed. However, this remedy isn’t recommended for people who have sensitive skin.

Honey Mask

 

Honey Mask

Besides being tasty, honey works great in removing pimples from your beautiful skin. The stickiness of honey is what removes dirt from your skin.

Along with removing dirt, honey is a natural antibiotic that heals and removes pimples efficiently. You can make a simple honey mask at home by following these steps:

  1. Mix two teaspoons of natural honey and two teaspoon cinnamon. If you can get your hands on to Manuka honey, it would be great.
  2. Apply the mask on your face and keep it on for some time.
  3. Rinse your face and pat it dry.

You can also apply the paste on the affected areas and leave it there overnight.

Cucumber

 

Cucumber

Cucumber works as an anti-inflammatory – and this is why many people, especially ladies, put slices of cucumbers on their eyes (to combat puffy eyes). Cucumber works just as well for getting rid of pimples and reducing the redness caused by them. You can easily make a cucumber mask at home by following these steps:

  1. Take a cucumber, peel and chop it into pieces.
  2. Add the pieces into a blender along with two tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  3. Once the mixture is ready, apply it on your skin and leave it there for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Rinse it off with warm water.

Steam

 

Steam

Steam works great in opening your pores and flushing all the bad stuff out of those pores. Steam works well for removing pimples, too. Follow these directions:

  1. Fill a pot with tap water and heat it until the water gets steaming hot.
  2. Turn off the flame and put the pot just below your face so that it can come into contact with the rising steam.
  3. Take steam for about half an hour.
  4. Dry your face gently and apply an oil-free moisturizer on the entire face for protection against pimples.

Tea Tree Oil

 

Tea Tree Oil

There is a reason why tea tree oil is known to be so good for our skin. Besides helping rejuvenate the skin, tea tree oil has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that make it an excellent choice for treating acne. In fact, many studies have shown that tea tree oil is just as effective as benzoyl peroxide.

However, make sure to dilute tea tree oil before applying it to your skin or otherwise, your skin may get irritated.

Baking soda

 

Baking soda

Baking soda is another well-known life hack to get rid of pimples. It has antiseptic properties that make it one effective ingredient to kill bacteria in the affected area of your skin. Also, baking soda has a therapeutic function that helps stimulate the growth of new skin cells.

Here is how you can use baking soda:

  1. Combine equal portions of water and baking soda to form a thick mixture.
  2. Apply the paste on the affected areas and keep it there for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Rinse it off gently with warm water.

Final Words

If you want to get back your healthy, moisturized, and pimple-free skin, you can take help of these life hacks. And yes, don’t forget to share this article with your loved ones who are willing to do anything to get rid of the pimples on their face.