6 DIY On-the-Spot Treatments: Banish a Blemish Fast!
By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine
It's 2010: We can banish wrinkles, stop (or start) hair growth and whiten our teeth on a lunch break, but we still can't find a fix for the biggest bane of all: blemishes! Waking up with Mount Everest on your forehead can seriously make staying home sound a lot more appealing. But that's simply not an option: You've got work, happy hour with the girls or maybe a hot date to get to tonight. So here's what to do.
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The first thing to remember is never try to squeeze a pimple. It will make it more red, more swollen and possibly spread bacteria and cause scars later on (more grief!). You can probably find some of the ingredients for an on-the-spot acne treatment right in your break room.
Lemon: Squeeze lemon juice on a cotton ball and press it against the blemish for two minutes. It's drying so it works to get rid of excess oils and reduce the overall appearance pretty quickly.
Ice: Ice is great for minimizing swelling and alleviating pain. Wrap an ice cube in a paper towel and use it as a compress. Your breakout should be less red and much smaller by the afternoon.
Aspirin: Try this as soon as you see a zit in the morning. Wash your face with warm water to open up your pores. Then crush an aspirin tablet and mix it with a few drops of water to form a paste. Apply it to the area and leave it on while you get ready. The aspirin reduces inflammation and redness.
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Toothpaste: We know you can't walk around with toothpaste on your face , but if you see a blemish forming at night, try a dab of this while you sleep (the paste, not gel kind). It helps dry it out before it becomes a bigger problem in the morning.
Hot water and salt: Take a cup of hot water and mix some salt in. Then, soak a paper towel in it and hold it on the affected area. The hot water will open up your pores and the salt will help dry out the oils. Keep doing this throughout the day.
Conceal: You don't have to be afraid to cover up a zit. Try a concealer made with salicylic acid like Almay Clear Complexion Concealer. It's got acne fighting ingredients and skin soothers like aloe and chamomile.
Get to happy hour with happy skin!
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Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio
