The Best Acne Spot Treatments Help Vanish Surprise Pimples in a Pinch
Keep your skin clear and your psyche stress-free.
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As much as we'd like to pretend otherwise, sporadic breakouts happen to the best of us (and yes, even the most well-hydrated, well-rested, and thoroughly scrubbed of us). Acne is a unifier, affecting between 40 and 50 million people in the United States alone. You might have even noticed you’re getting more breakouts lately (I certainly have) thanks to very high stress levels and the new-ish phenomenon maskne: breakouts caused by wearing face masks.
You can do everything right—wash your masks regularly, exfoliate with Pharell-like dedication—and still find yourself with a fat pimple perched prominently on your nose without warning. We've all been there before. Although long term solutions might involve switching up your skincare regimen or looking into other forms of preventative care with a dermatologist, there are a few things you can do when you see those inevitable zits pop up. Step number one: Invest in a go-to emergency spot treatment.
Everyone needs a spot treatment in their medicine cabinet, but especially if you’re prone to breakouts or have oily skin. A spot treatment lets you target an active zit with a laser-like specificity (though, to be clear, there's no, ah, actual lasers involved) and deliver concentrated ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to help reduce the life of a pimple. Here are 12 of the best available now to help you get started on your way to healthier, acne-free skin.
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Real skincare gurus likely already know salicylic acid can be a game-changer when it comes to treating any unwanted pimples. Clean & Clear's no-frills option puts the ingredient front and center in a winning formula that'll help your skin stay, well, clean and clear all day long.
If your pimples tend to be of the swollen, bright-red variety, Neutrogena's treatment works to reduce irritation and tackle even the most intimidating of breakouts in a matter of hours.
Take it from someone who's used it more times than they care to count: Mario Badescu's lotion works, and works wonders.
If you're looking to zap a zit or two while hanging out at home (where else are you going, really?) invest in an acne-healing dot. Simply apply it to the problem area and let it sit for a few hours.
Peter Thomas Roth's specialty formula is great for both treating—and, crucially, preventing—any surprise flare-ups.
Origins Super Spot Remover Acne Treatment Gel
A touch of this salicylic acid-infused gel on an unwelcome pimple will shrink it down substantially in no time at all, helping reduce inflammation and soothe affected areas of your skin in the process.
Proactiv's specialty relief formula derives its considerable powers from benzoyl peroxide—the silver-bullet ingredient of acne treatments, if you will—and is is designed to zap unexpected blemishes as soon as they pop up.
To help treat pimples while you sleep, simply apply a touch of Malin+Goetz's nighttime concoction to a cotton swab and dab directly on the blemish to minimize irritation.
Spot treatments work best when you apply them and let them sit unbothered for a few hours (or overnight), but most of them don't help actually hide the zit while you’re waiting for it to go away. Frontman combines a powerful salicylic acid-based zit zapper with concealer so you can fight breakouts without needing to go "camera off."
Pimple patches are great in most cases—the set-it-and-forget-it of acne treatments. Most of them work best, however, once the pimple has come to a head and aren't great for those deep-seeded cysts you can feel but not necessarily see yet. These patches solve that with microdarts that sink into your skin and dissolve to deliver salicylic acid below the surface.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment Cream
La Roche-Posay enlists the help of benzoyl peroxide and micro-exfoliating LHA (trust me) in a pocket-sized formula that packs a hell of a punch.
This one uses sulfur to help reduce redness and absorb excess oil. Most important: it works—extraordinarily well.
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