As if life isn’t challenging for us already, God went ahead and made pimples! Well, technically it isn’t God’s fault, but every once in a while (and especially during that time of the month) we’re “blessed” with a pimple or two, or three. For me, pimples pop up during the most random and unexpected times—say right before a holiday or a very important life event. And as much as it is a pain in the butt, I’ve learned how to treat my pimples with the help of celebrity dermatologist, Dr. Jamuna Pia. She told me how one can actively control and treat a pimple that has come up overnight, so read on to know more.
How and why does a pimple arise?
Acne is primarily caused due to a genetic predisposition, and due to probable hormonal changes in the body experienced during adolescence (in both the sexes), during pregnancy and menopause in women. Certain triggering factors like stress and irregular lifestyle do lead to a flare-up of an acne breakout.
If you pinch or press a pimple or try to extract a comedone forcibly, a pimple can come up overnight. In some cases, if you sleep without cleansing the makeup from the face, an existing pimple can flare up and you just could land up with a big painful pimple overnight.
What should one do?
If the pimple is painful and shows a ‘puspoint’, apply a dot of fuller’s earth (multani mitti) on the point and leave it on overnight. It will help to shrink the pimple. You could also use an aspirin mask by powdering a tablet of aspirin and mixing it in water to form a paste. Apply it on the acne and rinse it off gently after 5 minutes. Due to its anti-inflammatory effects, it will help heal the acne.
On the other hand, if the pimple is painful and there is no pus, and if you’re looking for an immediate solution, I recommend going to your physician for an intra-lesional injection. The pimple will disappear overnight.
What to use at that moment?
At night use a Clindamycin Phosphate cream on the acne/pimple. This is a topical antibiotic which kills the bacteria present in the acne. Adapalene is another alternative which brings about cell repair, thereby reducing mild to moderate acne.
Post-pimple-care rules:
Allow the pimple to heal and scab to dry. Use a sunscreen daily to protect the skin from photo-damage.
Have more pimple or acne-related questions, let us know in the comments below!
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