Even at 32, I’m a total baby when it comes to blemishes. I know I’m lucky—I don’t have acne and I don’t break out very often. But when I do, I want it GONE. Like, overnight. I’ve tried almost every product on the market, to little or no avail. Last week, when I was detoxing from sugar, dairy, gluten, and meat, Mt. Vesuvius took up residence on my chin. As if the cheese withdrawal weren’t painful enough. Esthetician Sara Mattson (she of apple cider vinegar fame) recommended holding a zip-loc bag of ice on the spot for 5-7 minutes before bed. This definitely helped reduce swelling, but didn’t eliminate the problem. In an act of desperation I used my Zeno. A completely futile act because the thing does not work. EVER. Please don’t wast your money on one, no matter how pretty Whitney Port is. Finally, I dabbed on Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel. It’s salicylic acid-based and doesn’t make my skin red and flakey like products that contain benzoyl peroxide. Unfortunately, it didn’t work either. Next time I’m going to try the new GoClear line, which is supposed to prevent discoloration and is paraben-free, but in the meantime: Could someone please tell me, once and for all, how to banish a blemish? It’s time for some serious knowledge sharing.
Filed Under: acne treatment, benzoyl peroxide, Clinique Acne Solutions spot healing gel, GoClear, salicylic acid, zeno hot spot
Ooh – I know this one. Sulfur. I bought the Bare Escentuals Blemish Therapy on a whim (nothing over-the counter has ever worked for me before, so a very sceptical whim). It is wonderful at reducing inflammation and redness. If you put it on right when you notice a blemish, it helps the redness and the blemish go away faster (but not instantly).
I love clear skin! And I hate wasting money! But I am a girl, and I have wasted money and tried all different kinds and types of facial products. I never had severe acne. I had a few large pores on my chin and every once in awhile I would get one of those underground pimples that hurt like nothing else and they don’t pop (gross I know), so you have to be patient with those ones – I ran out of patience. I got married last fall. I wanted super clear skin. I researched the entire internet on facial this and that. It was exhausting. I have a science background so I HATE spending money on something, smear it on my face and it is essentially doing nothing. I am paying for fancy chemicals and fragrances. I want to know it is going to work. I got married last fall. I was determined to have really clear skin. So after getting exhausted by looking up medical journals and customer product reviews – I decided to make my first appointment with a dermatologist. At very least I would be told what was going on with my skin medically and that would help narrow down how to treat it properly. I went to Crutchfield Dermatology. I am 30. I have minimal sun damage. I have mild occurance of acne. I was handed the Neostrata System. My first thought was GREAT another SYSTEM. Wash, exfoliate, lotion up, etc. Long story short…Neostrata has made my skin clear and radiant. It has been about a year and I have not had one pimple. Hard to believe – I know, but it’s true. I wash my face with Neostrata Facial Cleanser PHA 4, use Neostrata Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream PHA 10, Exuviance Moisture Balance Toner. and Neostrata Eye Cream PHA 4. The Neostrata products utilize Polyhydroxy Acid Gluconolactone. I was leary about using acids. I wear sunscreen everyday, but I didn’t want to fry when I did go out in the sun do to chemical on my skin! But this product line is gentle. I think that is what my skin needed all along. The cleanser is soap free so it does not lather. The good thing is – you don’t need a lot of it and it gentky exfoliates your face – not leaving it dried out. The Neostrata products are also good for sensitive skin – which my skin has been getting more sensitve as I have gotten older. I apologize for the long story. I just didn’t want to fling another product line at you without the who, what, where and WHY. Like myself, I don’t want anyone wasting any more of their time or money. So, if this story sounds similar to your own, then perhaps try the Neostrata Line.
Aileen is right – my favorite sulfur-based product is Proactiv’s Refining Mask. It’s meant to just be a 10-15 minute mask, but I dab it on blemishes before bed, let it dry, then just sleep with it on. In the morning, my redness has disappeared and whatever I thought was a blemish is usually all but gone. Love love love it.
(Bonus: if you live near a mall with a free-standing Proactiv Kiosk located within it, you can buy just the mask without having to subscribe to all the other Proactiv junk)
A low cost option that sometimes works for me is alcohol mixed with a little calamine lotion (applied at bedtime).
Origins Spot Remover, with Salicylic-Acid, is my favorite! I’ve recently been using Murad Acne Spot Remover with the active ingredient of sulfur. I was traveling and couldn’t find the Origins product and decided to try Murad. It’s good, but not as fast acting for me as Origins.
Girls, I am LOVING these responses! Had completely forgotten about the Proactiv mask – I remember that being super strong without causing redness. And actually have samples of the Neostrata from Dr. C so must give it a whirl (a friend of mine saw immediate results with that system too). Keep them coming!!
Yep, sulfur. I use Bare Escentuals Blemish Therapy. It is a little stinky but it SO helps to deminish the blemish.
I have used the Bare Escentuals Blemish Therapy and like it. I had a facial a while back and the esthetician said sulfur works great on healing blemishes. My favorite drugstore find that I’ve been using forever is the Queen Helene Mint Juniper Masque. Guess what it’s got in it? Sulfur! I can even smell it the next day when I wash my face.
I like all these suggestions too, will totally try out some sulfur stuff.
Love this thread, thanks, Elizabeth! I struggle with this too – was on some decent prescription topical meds for a while, but have been off since high school.
Right now am using a combination of salycidic acid gel and pads – some line by Neutrogena, I think. It comes in orange packaging. It works decently but not great. I’m curious about the Proactive set – has anyone else had good luck with it? it seems like such a money burner!
Tea Tree Oil. Put a drop on a Q-Tip and dab it right on the blemish.
It will clear it right up.
You can apply it at any time, but it is best when applied right before bed. That way there is less chance of you touching it, thus continually bringing more bacteria to it.
Everyone should have a bottle in their medicine cabinet. It has a MILLION uses.
http://www.stormsister.biz/lab/teetree.html
@Becky, you are selling me on the tea tree! What are some other uses? Love that it’s so simple and natural.
@Emma – I used Proactiv years ago, before I got married. Was so paranoid about breaking out of the stress of, um, flowers? Okay, that’s another story . . . but it definitely kept my pores uber-clean. Was almost TOO effective – I got really red. I think it’s totally worth a shot for anyone who struggles with ongoing acne.
Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick. It’s AMAZING. I’ve recently converted to the whole Burt’s Bees line and have seen better results than when I was using ProActiv (and every other brand out there!) It’s smells great and I feel good about using everything because it’s natural! Also-their Purifying Gel Cleanser is an awesome face wash-smells great too!!! Everything I’ve tried of theirs has been wonderful!
It is great for yeast infections, any type of wound that is red and inflamed, athletes foot, etc. Since it is a natural antifungal, it will remedy any of that.
I use 10 drops in a bottle of water as a household cleaner, a few drops in my dehumidifier….if you go to the link I posted it will show everything it does and what it kills……it amazing. The smell is a bit pungent, but it dissipates very quickly and you actually get used to it and find it quite pleasing.
Most of you may know it by the name Melaleuca. Though I am not an advocate for that brand, they do use Melaleuca/Tea Tree in all of their products. They just use too much petroleum in their stuff, for me.
[...] acne. You are so much stronger than you know! And if I could make it go away, I would. But in the Battle of the Blemish there are few products that ever actually work. For petesake, how hard can it BE?! Here’s [...]