This Is the Fastest—And Safest—Way to Get Rid of a Pimple
’Twas the night before a big event—and you woke up with a breakout on your chin. Before frantically running to the bathroom, with bygone DIY methods of pimple-popping in mind, stop, think, and give your dermatologist a call.
The quickest way to get rid of a zit? “Try a cortisone shot,” says New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Levine, who recommends injecting the high-potency steroid directly into the spot. “It gets to work immediately,” she says, “and normally [the abscess] goes away within 24 to 28 hours.” While Levine often combines an intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in conjunction with the shot, which can help decrease redness and banish bacteria from the surface of the skin, follow-up procedures aren’t necessary. “You can ice it,” she says, but no need for topical creams.
“It’s the best way to get rid of something that [large] that’s not going away on its own,” says Levine of the uncomfortably red, persistent, and isolated spot. But, she warns, beware of your injector: Some scarring or atrophy might be possible if your provider hasn’t had enough practice with injections. As always, the pro recommends only visiting board certified dermatologists or plastic surgeons to do the trick. Here’s to a bright New Year’s Eve—and a clear 2019.
