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Jeffrey Ellis, MD answers: How can I get rid of this huge pimple?

I am 50 years old and I have a pimple that won't go away.  It's large and unsightly so I cover it with a bandage---How do I get rid of it? I had 2 pimples on my face and my doctor said it was probably from all the chocolate I ate over the holidays.

One of the pimples was small and the other large. The small one has gone away. I treated both with Clean and Clear, an over-the-counter medicine. The large one won't go away and it seems like it's gotten larger. It's been 2 weeks--How can I get rid of it?


Jeffrey Ellis, MD
9 months ago

A "pimple that does not go away" needs to be examined by a doctor. A "normal" pimple should last at most 2-3 weeks. If a pimple does not go away in this time, it may not be a pimple. Sometimes a skin cancer can look like a pimple that does not go away - and a biopsy would be needed to determine what the growth is.

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