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How Do I Choose the Best Facial Treatment for Pimples?

By Rebecca Mecomber
Updated Feb 10, 2024
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Pimples are a skin condition, the body's reaction to clogged skin pores or bacterial infection in the pores. They appear as small red bumps on the skin and may contain pus or cysts. The best facial treatment for pimples depends largely on the cause of the clogged pores, but most medical professionals believe that a healthy lifestyle and maintaining clean skin with an exfoliating facial cleanser are the best treatments. Facial spa treatment is not necessary but may help clear the skin of whiteheads or blackheads. Severe or persistent cases may call for antibacterial facial products, antibiotic therapy, laser treatment and other surgical cosmetic treatment.

Skin treatment depends on the cause and severity of the pimples. If the condition is merely a clogged pore, regularly wash your face with an oil-reducing product, such as an astringent or facial pads with benzoyl peroxide. Use cleansers with alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid to reduce facial shine from overactive oil glands. Treat your skin to a facial makeover, such as a deep-cleaning steam treatment. Pore strips are an inexpensive facial treatment method for removing whiteheads and blackheads from the skin.

In all, the best facial treatment for pimples is regular face washing, a healthy diet with plenty of water and exercise. Never pick or poke pimples, as this can introduce bacteria into the pores, causing acne. The best facial treatment for pimples is keeping the skin clean and clear of excessive oils. For more serious cases, you may need to consult with a medical professional who can prescribe medication or recommend a more effective facial treatment for pimples.

The physician may begin with the most simple treatment, such as a topical antibiotic or a regimen of Retin-A, which is a form of vitamin A. If these prove ineffective, oral antibiotics or hormone-blocking drugs may be prescribed. Severe pimples may lead to acne, requiring a more rigorous acne treatment program to prevent facial scarring. Laser resurfacing, chemical peels, steroid injections and dermabrasion are some of the most common therapies.

Nearly every teenager suffers from pimples, and many develop acne, the unsightly red pustules that can cause scarring. Pimples occur when the sebaceous glands in the skin's hair follicles produce too much sebum, or oil. The oil fills the follicle and forms a pus-filled bump on the skin. Bacteria may collect in the pore and make the skin inflamed, elevating the pimples into sensitive, red pustules. Though bacteria do not necessarily cause pimples, they may complicate the skin disorder.

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Discussion Comments

By feasting — On Jan 11, 2013

@orangey03 – You are going to need to see a dermatologist. I had the same problem years ago, and even with a dermatologist's help, it took about six months for the acne to disappear.

He would give me chemical peels every few weeks, and he would lance and drain some of the deeper pimples. He put me on antibiotics for months, and he gave me a topical gel to use, too.

He told me to keep using the gel for the next three years. Because it cost $100 a tube, I couldn't do this, but he had already helped me so much that I really didn't need the stuff anymore.

I don't regret going to him. I wish I had been able to afford his care sooner, because I lived with severe acne for years before I finally sought help.

By JackWhack — On Jan 10, 2013

I exfoliate once a week to keep my pores from getting clogged. I use an at-home chemical peel, and it makes my skin look so much smoother.

I break the capsule containing the peel in half and mix it with water. It forms a gel, and I paint this onto my face with a small spatula. I wait three minutes and then scrape it off with the spatula and rinse it.

By orangey03 — On Jan 10, 2013

I need some advice on how to handle the serious acne on my jawline and chin. It's gotten worse lately, but nothing I've tried has helped.

I've tried products with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and benzoyl peroxide, as well as a couple of products I saw on infomercials. I've tried medicated facial cleansers and the kind formulated to be more gentle, but still the acne persists.

What can I do to get rid of this acne? Squeezing the pimples doesn't help, but neither does leaving them alone.

By Perdido — On Jan 09, 2013

Your facial treatment needs change throughout the years. When I was a teenager, I could use benzoyl peroxide with no problem. Once I hit my mid-twenties, though, it dried out my skin so badly that it turned red and flaked off.

Now that I'm in my thirties, I rarely have pimples at all. Of course, it's probably largely due to the fact that I take birth control pills now. They are known for clearing up your skin, and that is one of the good side effects.

I actually have to keep my face moisturized now, and that is something I never could have done when I was younger. My skin used to be so oily that it needed moisture removed from it to prevent pimples.

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