Are you wondering about how to get rid of pimples fast? These days, you can find a lot of over the counter products promising to get rid of pimples. Unfortunately, most of the products are either a waste of money or just too expensive. There are also products that only leave you frustrated and angry because of low quality. But don’t worry, you can get rid of pimples without spending a lot as I have told my son many times.

Yes, my 15th year old son is worried sick over his pimples, a common problem among teenagers. In fact, his problem prompted me to write this piece as I want to provide information to teenagers developing acne. By the way, I never had a pimple problem when I was a teenager and even today acne is never an issue, must be my genes or just lucky. Unfortunately, my son did not get lucky since his one of the 80% of teenagers that develop acne because of hormone changes.

So, if you are developing acne, don’t worry it is just a phase that you will outgrow, but if not, you can still relax as you can always get rid of pimples without leaving scars on your face.

But before I discuss the different ways to get rid of pimples, I want to talked about the problem first.

What Is Pimples?

Pimple also known as spot or zit are a small pustule or papule that appears on the face and other parts of the body such as the back, shoulders, neck, and chest. Pimples or acne is not a serious threat to the health, but can leave permanent scars that could affect a person self esteem.

What Causes Pimples?

Pimples are usually caused by overactive sebaceous glands that have been infected by bacteria, so they become inflamed. The sebaceous glands are skin glands that secrete sebum, an oily substance that lubricate the hair and skin.

Bear in mind that when the sebaceous glands produces more sebum, pimples can develop as the pores get clog. Teenagers have active hormones due to changes in their body, so they produced more sebum; thus, they become susceptible to pimple.

Types of Pimples

Whiteheads – It is small and just remains under your skin, also called as closed comedo.

Blackheads – This is a type of pimple that is visible no wonder it is called an open comedo and colored black.

Papules – They are solid, small rounded bumps that rise on the skin surface and usually pink in color.

Pustules – This type of pimple have pus and visible on the skin surface. The base of the pimple is red and the pus usually on top.

Cysts – This pimple is painful because it is filled with pus and visible on the skin.

Nodules -This is a larger version of papules and painful because they are embedded in the skin.

How To Reduce Pimples

It is really hard to prevent pimples since there is no exact cause as to why acne develops. In fact, it is not even clear yet why some people easily develop acne than others. The only thing expert knows is that, hormones play a vital role as the androgens works over time when both girls and boys hit puberty.

But you can take into consideration the following factors:

Genetics – Parents that had acne can have children with a tendency to develop acne.

Medication – There are medications that can cause acne. For example, medications for epilepsy can trigger breakouts.

Cosmetics – Oil based makeup can clog pores, which is why some people develop acne.

Stress – Too much stress can also make you develop acne.

Menstrual Period – Changing hormones can also cause pimples, but the problem disappears when the hormone levels return to normal.

How To Prevent Acne

Keep Face Clean

– Touching your face a lot can increase your chance of developing acne. So, if you are unconsciously touching the face out of habit make sure your hands are clean. Carrying wipes or sanitizer all the time can keep your hands clean.

Avoid Wearing Makeup A Lot

– Makeup especially oil based products can cause breakouts, which is why using makeup sparingly, can definitely prevent or reduce pimples. If makeup is unavoidable because of the nature of your work, choose oil and chemical free products.

Avoid Putting Oils and Fragrances on Your Hair

– What you put on your hair can cause irritation when it touches your skin. In fact, you can make your breakout worse when your oily hair touches the face.

Avoid Breakout Foods

– There are certain foods that can aggravate your pimple problem so avoid or at least minimize your intake of bad foods if you can’t help it. Eating a well balanced diet is also good to prevent the developing of acne as poor nutrition makes you even more at risk.

Acne Treatment

These days, there are many ways to treat acne ranging from topical treatments to prescription drug. But before buying any over the counter products visit your dermatologist first as they know what is the best acne treatment for your skin.

Over the Counter Acne Treatment

– OTC products are the common solution, to acne or pimple problems and since these treatments comes in different forms such as lotions, gels, pads, soaps and creams you can improve your skin anytime you wish. However, over the counter products are often times expensive and not all works as promised so choose wisely.

Prescription Acne Treatment

– People with moderate to severe skin problem often prescribed with oral solution. This is because antibiotics for acne treatment can definitely help curb bacteria overgrowth and decrease inflammation.

Natural Acne Treatments

– If you don’t have money to spend on expensive OTC products or antibiotics, there are natural acne treatment or homemade acne treatment that can effectively get rid of pimples or acne.

Home Remedies for Acne

1. Aloe Vera Gel

– Aloe vera can treat acne and easy to use as you just cleanse your face then apply the aloe gel before you sleep. Leave it to dry overnight, the next morning rinse off the aloe.

2. Lemons

– Many people treat their acne problem with lemon as the juice contains citric acid that can fight the bacteria and make the skin lighter. What you need to do is just dilute the lemon juice and apply to the affected area using a cotton ball then leave overnight or for at least 15 minutes on the skin. Do this until the pimples are gone.

3. Baking Soda

– It is a fact that baking soda has a lot of uses because it contains antiseptic and antifungal properties. You can use baking soda to treat your acne by creating a paste then applying it to the affected areas, leave to dry for 3 minutes then wash the face with warm water.

You can also use baking soda for exfoliation when you mixed it with your regular cleanser.

4. Tea Tree Oil

– Tea tree contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that can fight pimples. It is also a lot easier to use tea tree oil and since it is just as effective as the benzoyl peroxide then using it is not a bad idea. You just apply a small amount to the affected area, after combining the tea tree oil with water then dab using a Q-Tip.

Take note, tea tree oil is only good for normal skin, so if you have eczema or sensitive skin this is not for you.

5. Honey

– This is great for treating pimples that keep coming back to the same area or have a zit that did not heal properly. Honey is easy to use as well as you just apply a small quantity to the area then leave for 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. By the way, there is no need to use soap. Oh, before I forgot, heat for 10 minutes in the microwave the honey then let it cool before applying.

6. Sandalwood

– Create a paste using sandalwood. Apply the paste to the area you want to treat, leave for an hour or so before rinsing off. Sandalwood is great for people with sensitive skin because of its cooling effect.

7. Cucumber

– Create a paste with cucumber and use it as a face mask. Cucumber is great for refreshing the skin and healing acne scars.

8. Ice Cubes

– This is probably the simplest home remedy as you just take out an ice cubes, wrap in a small towel then rub it for 15 minutes for at least twice a day. The swelling can be reduces quickly with this home remedy for acne.

9. Tomato

– This fruit is rich in vitamin A so creating a paste out of tomatoes is a good idea. You can refresh and even heal damaged or scarred skin.

10. Olive Oil

– This is oil is not just for cooking for but also great for getting rid of pimples. Apply a small quantity to the affected area, leave for 10 minutes, then wash away with warm water.

The above home remedies for acne or pimples are safe to use, easy to prepare and remove. You can try them, but if you can afford to visit a dermatologist first before undertaking, any of the home remedy for acne then I suggest doing it. You see, there are different types of acne, which is why it is best that you know what your skin problem is before you try to solve the problem to avoid complications.

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