A tale as old as time: It’s 24 hours before a big day—be it your wedding, the start of a new job, or a first date—and you’re perfectly prepared. Your hair is shiny, your outfit is ready, and your skin is glowing. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a big, inflamed, growing-by-the-minute pimple appears. Don’t stress out, as that’ll just make the zit worse.
Instead, turn to these in-office treatments and at-home spot treatments, masks, and other dermatologist-approved skin-care fixes that have the power to significantly shrink (and even fully get rid of) your pimple in a day’s time.
In-office acne treatments
When you need to get rid of a pimple fast, there’s no better place to start than seeking your dermatologist’s help.
Cortisone shots
Many dermatologists will first recommend at-home topical skin-care solutions. But for seriously desperate cases, a simple cortisone shot could be the answer. “For a large, stubborn cystic acne lesion that hasn’t responded to other treatments, I may consider administering a corticosteroid injection in the office, which can help reduce inflammation, pain, and swelling,” says Dr. Michelle Henry, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “Most patients will see a marked improvement in 24 hours, but it’s important to note that this should not be the first course of treatment outside of emergency situations, like waking up with a cystic acne lesion the day before a big event.”
Notably, cortisone shots are intended only to treat large acne cysts when standard treatments have failed. Most patients, Dr. Henry explains, will need a regular topical skincare treatment regimen to address acne on a daily basis and help prevent the formation of future breakouts and acne scarring.
Chemical peels
Chemical peels can also be tempting in-office treatments for acne—but often, they work on a long-term basis and will not necessarily get rid of a stubborn pimple overnight. “Chemical peels can help immediately restore a more clear complexion through exfoliation and their antiseptic properties,” says Dr. Dennis Gross, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. With that said, he notes that they are typically better for prevention versus a quick fix. “Peels work because they have certain beta-hydroxy acids, like salicylic acid, that can break down what is clogging the pore to literally eradicate the root of the issue. Meanwhile, other alpha-hydroxy acids can kill bacteria and eliminate the dead skin cells on the surface that can trap the bacteria or contribute to clogged pores.”
Chemical peels won’t necessarily get rid of that pesky pimple the day before your big event, but since the acne you see today actually started below the skin’s surface two weeks ago, regular peels in the weeks or months beforehand can solve the problem before it starts.
Skin-care tips to quickly treat a pimple at home
“To reduce acne quickly, you are going to want to target it from multiple angles: decongest the pores, control oil, kill acne-causing bacteria, and reduce inflammation,” Dr. Gross says. “So the most effective skin-care products will have ingredients that do each of these things all in one treatment.”
The best skin-care ingredients and spot treatments
While shopping for acne products, Dr. Gross suggests seeking out ingredients such as:
- azelaic acid and salicylic acid (to decongest pores)
- monk pepper (to regulate hormones that can stimulate the overproduction of oil)
- farnesol (to kill P. acnes bacteria)
- aloe vera, bisabolol, green tea, and similar soothing ingredients (for anti-inflammatory benefits)
Dr. Henry says that salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are especially good for treating a blemish quickly and are often the stars of fast-acting acne spot treatments. “Salicylic acid penetrates and clears out pores, while benzoyl peroxide plays a role in treating the bacteria that cause acne,” she explains. She recommends Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel with salicylic acid and Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment, which is formulated with benzoyl peroxide.
Tea tree oil is another great anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredient worth adding to your spot treatment lineup. The Eminence Organics Clear Skin Targeted Treatment not only has tea tree oil, but also salicylic acid and cucumber, to soothe inflammation.
Apply pimple patches for spot treatments
Pimple patches, some of which feature the acne-fighting ingredients above, are also great options for quick, targeted treatment. Peace Out Skincare Acne Dots call upon the powers of salicylic acid and vitamin A to clear up a spot in six hours, while Micropoint for Blemishes from Hero Cosmetics uses 173 micropoints to penetrate the zit with salicylic acid from the moment it appears.
Add detoxifying face masks to your skin-care regimen
Next, sulfur and clay are also common ingredients in acne-fighting products, especially masks. “I love these ingredients,” says Dr. Gross. “Sulfur works quickly to neutralize acne bacteria and balance sebum production, and it is keratolytic, accelerating pore recovery with efficient exfoliation that helps pores shed the keratin lining that often builds up with oils.”
The dermatology expert is also a fan of bentonite clay, a highly absorbent clay formed by the decomposition of volcanic ash, which powerfully draws oils and toxins from the skin. The Charcoal Rescue Masque from Dermalogica is a fast-acting option that features sulfur alongside charcoal to absorb impurities, and Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment quickly clears pimples with the help of sulfur and zinc oxide. “But like with any acne treatment, you want to make sure that detoxifying ingredients are formulated with soothing ones like aloe vera,” Dr. Gross says. “Overdrying the skin can actually result in even more breakouts.”
Skin-care routine must-haves for more severe acne
While your pimple might just be a one-off occurrence, it’s possible that it could be part of a larger breakout or acne issue. “There is only so much you can do with over-the-counter spot treatments, as they’re intended to target individual acne episodes,” Dr. Henry says. “If you’re starting to see multiple pimples or cysts and if you’re noticing scarring, that’s when acne becomes a skin emergency—and you should speak with a dermatologist as soon as possible, because acne scarring can be permanent.”
Your dermatologist will likely prescribe or recommend a treatment that’s effective to not only treat acne on the surface but help prevent future acne breakouts, the risk of scarring, and other side effects. Often, this is when retinoids and retinol, vitamin A-derived ingredients, come into play. Dr. Henry recommends Epiduo Forte Gel, but other retinol-formulated products that can help in such circumstances include:
