Get Rid of a Zit or Pimple Fast - Don't Use Toothpaste!

No one is happy to see an uninvited zit show up on their face, especially the day before a photo shoot or a big night out. It's tempting to take drastic measures which often only makes things worse. 

The quickest and most effective way to get rid of a zit fast is to go to your dermatologists office and have it injected with Kenalog, a steroid cortisone shot, but if that is not an option for you here is a model's secret to doing it at home that really works!

The most important goal in getting rid of a zit and saving your face for a photograph is to decrease the redness and make it flatter so that it is easier to cover up. 

First, you will want to shrink it using the strongest percentage of benzoyl peroxide cream you have. Then take the highest percentage of hydrocortisone cream that you can find, usually 10% unless you have a Rx from your doc, and dab it on top of the little monster before you go to bed covering it with one of those little round bandaids so that it maintains it's potency and doesn't rub off on your sheets and pillow. Because cortisone cream is a steroid you only want to use this little trick at most 2 nights in a row or it could thin your skin and possibly stimulate more acne.

You may have heard that toothpaste can dry up a zit overnight but I advise against this. It may help dry out the pimple but the fluoride in the toothpaste could burn your skin, increasing redness and irritation. Years ago toothpaste contained zinc which helps with inflammation (better when it's used as a supplement), but most toothpastes no longer contain zinc so unless you are stranded on a island taping a reality show and toothpaste is all you have ... I would forgo using this on your face.

Visine is also a popular recommendation that can help because it has an anti inflammatory ingredient that can reduce redness but be sure to follow up with some OTC benzoyl peroxide acne cream to git rid of it your blemish.  

Crushed aspirin helps too since it contains salicylic acid, another popular ingredient in acne medications. You can mix it with a bit of water in your hand to form a paste and apply to your skin. This must be uncoated aspirin to work and don't do this if you're allergic to aspirin or have sensitive skin because it may cause irritation.

Another option? Blue light. It's not just a gimmick. You can purchase an at home device that works for just $49. Check out how in my post about how it works {HERE - High Tech Zit Zapper}

Finally, if you must pop a zit please watch this video and advice given from Dr Oz on the best way to go about it.

Shelley GoodStein

To learn more model's secrets to looking your best and taking your best photos check out my new book Face This: Real Advice from Real models ... Available for just $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as a paperback from Amazon.com