How to Get Rid of Pimples

A woman with excoriated acne and significant scarring is beside an array of skincare products.

There’re two parts to this. First we’ll talk about how to get rid of pimples in general—how to stop breakouts from constantly disrupting your life. Then we‘ll talk about the best way to clear pimples you already have.

The most effective, simple thing to do is use what dermatologists call a retinoid. These are creams (or gels or foam) that you put on your face (or any affected area) at bedtime. They help clear up the pimples you have and are used every day to prevent them from coming back. They can also be used as a spot treatment to shrink pimples faster.

Tretinoin (aka Retin-A) and tazarotene (aka Tazorac) are strong retinoids. If you have health insurance, you can get a prescription for these from a dermatologist. If you don’t have health insurance, the good news is you can still get acne prescriptions at a very low cost through GoodRx Gold. I should mention that I’m not getting paid for this (or any of my recommendations), it’s just too good a deal not to pass on.

GoodRx offers a one month free trial their Gold membership (after that it’s $9.99). As a Gold member, you can chat with healthcare provider for $19 and get discounted prescriptions. I literally did this at 4 AM! It was so easy.

There are over-the-counter alternatives that aren’t as strong but may be better for sensitive skin. Differin Gel can be purchased for under $20. It’s been around since the 1990s and used to be prescription only. Azelaic acid is another great milder alternative. It’s known to help with redness and discoloration in addition to blemishes. The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% gets rave reviews and can be purchased for under $15. There are also many over-the-counter retinol products. Retinol is basically a milder form of retinoid. Most of these products are marketed as wrinkle treatments. When you look at the reviews, sometimes you might see “It irritated my skin!” That’s because mature skin (with wrinkles) tends to be dry. Both retinoids and retinols tend to cause dryness. People with acne tend to have oily skin so it’s usually not as much of a problem. The Inky List makes a 1% Retinol Serum that you can get for $15. Over-the-counter products will most likely only be effective for milder acne.

If you get prescriptions (either online or from a doctor’s office) you’ll likely be offered doxycycline pills. Doxycycline is an antibiotic that also decreases inflammation in the skin. It will clear your skin faster, but these pills are for short term use only, typically a few months. That’s why it’s important for you to keep using your topical medication daily to keep your acne from coming back. You should only pause if you experience irritation.

Here are 7 tips for getting the most out of treatment with retinoids/retinols:

  1. They should be used at night.
  2. Start off using only a small amount for at least the first week. These products can cause dryness and irritation, especially if your skin is not used to them.
  3. Put a small amount—pea-size for prescription creams—in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Apply starting at your forehead and work your way down. Did you know there are way more oil glands on your forehead than on your chin? Applying too much to your chin will likely cause redness and irritation.
  4. While using retinoids you should use a gentle cleanser. Your skin will become much more sensitive. For example, if you’ve been using 10% benzoyl peroxide wash, you should probably stop. The two things together may cause irritation.
  5. Use a lightweight moisturizer without SPF (see #6). You may experience dry peeling skin. Neutrogena Hydroboost Gel is a good one that can be applied generously with no fear of it clogging your pores. 
  6. If you’re using sunscreen, it should be applied separately. When sun protective chemicals are mixed in with a moisturizer, it’s less effective for hydration. Also, sunscreen only works for about two hours, after that you need to reapply. Applying moisturizer every two hours while you’re at the beach is probably not a good idea. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 70. It’s super lightweight and can be reapplied throughout the day without clogging your pores.
  7. Usually retinoids are applied to clean skin, before moisturizer. If your retinoid cream (gel/foam) causes irritation, try applying your moisturizer first.

How to Get Rid of Pimples ASAP

Most dermatologists warn their acne patients not to try to pop their pimples at home. Most patients, at some point, will do it anyway. So even though I have to tell you why you shouldn’t, I’ll also tell you how to do it if you feel you absolutely must.

The reason you shouldn’t do it is because it usually makes things worse by causing inflammation. Some likely outcomes are that the pimple will take longer to go away, it will become red (more noticeable), and a scar or a dark mark will linger long after the bump is flat.

Having said that, not all acne is the same. Cystic acne refers to bumps that form under the skin. They’re usually red and can be painful. It’s related to hormones and is harder to treat. Taking doxycycline (as mentioned above) can help these clear up faster but the only quick fix is to have them injected with medicine by a dermatologist. Severe cystic acne is treated with isotretinoin pills (aka Accutane). Isotretinoin can only be obtained by going to a dermatologist. Trying to squeeze a cyst is never a good idea. You will make it worse every time. What you can do is use a q-tip to apply a spot of your retinoind/retinol to the bump at night. This will help to shrink it.

But what if you have superficial pimples? Maybe there’s visible pus (aka a whitehead) and you don’t feel comfortable walking around like that. A dermatologist would extract the pus using a sterile needle and comedone extractor, then usually inject some medicine as well. If your going to attempt this in the bathroom mirror you can use a sterilized needle to pierce the top. Comedone extractors can be purchased online for as little as $5. Why use an extractor? Ideally you want uniform pressure. The goal is to get everything out without pushing anything deeper into your skin. Afterward you can apply a dot of your retinoid cream or try sleeping with a hydrocolloid acne patch over the spot. If you do all this while taking doxycycline it will disappear much faster. Extracting (aka squeezing) pimples this way works better when the pimple is close to the surface of your skin, appears mostly white and has little redness. The deeper and redder the bump, the more likely you will experience a negative outcome.

For tips on what cleanser and moisturizer to buy, get my free comprehensive guide to buying quality skincare products without spending a lot of money.

Obviously, seeing a dermatologist in person is always going to be better. This article contains general advice that applies to most people.