23 Excellent Home Remedies to Get Rid of Pimples

Whether it’s your puberty or you have grown into an adult, pimples can attack you anytime and needless to say, it is annoying! Bacterial growth, dead cell build-up, hormonal imbalance, chemical exposure, food habit, medication, stress, and even heredity, there are tons of factors that can trigger the appearance of those pesky little swellings on your skin and make you feel miserable. Even though it is impossible to remove pimples overnight, you can try some easy home remedies and get rid of them over time.

Let’s talk about 23 best home remedies that would help you get rid of pimples effectively:

1. Hot Compress

Dip a clean soft washcloth into a bowl of hot water (bearable temperature), wring the extra water out, and place it over the pimples for 15-20 minutes. Doing this compress a few times every day will soften pus-filled pimples under the skin and you can then take the junk out by prodding. Just make sure that you are gentle enough during the process.

2. Steam

Steam is extremely beneficial for your facial skin and it can eradicate pimples too. Boil water in a large container, lean over the steam coming out of it and cover your head as well as the whole pot with a towel. This will open up your clogged pores and flush out the impurities to make the removal of pimples easy.

3. Ice

Wrap an ice cube (or, some crushed ice) in a clean soft cloth and apply it to your pimples either by dabbing or by rubbing gently. All your redness, swelling, and inflammation will go away immediately. Moreover, your pores will be opened up and the bacteria will be pushed out, thereby shrinking pimples remarkably in size. However, do not leave ice on the troubled spots for more than a few minutes in one go.

4. Lemon

The antimicrobial properties of lemon juice destroy pimple-causing bacteria while its astringent quality helps zits dry up faster by diminishing inflammation and swelling. Soak a cotton ball in some freshly squeezed lemon juice and apply it all over the affected area right before sleeping at night. Rinse with lukewarm water in the morning. However, sensitive-skinned people should stay away from this acidic remedy at any cost.

5. Manuka Honey

Manuka honey, which is derived from New Zealand’s Manuka bush, is a real superfood and a magical healing ingredient. When used on pimples, its natural antibacterial properties not only clear them up but also prevent further infections. Pour a few drops of Manuka honey onto a cotton swab or your fingertip and apply to the affected area directly. Let it dry for 30 minutes and then, wash off with tepid water. It is a perfect remedy for all skin types.

6. Garlic

Being a strong natural antibacterial agent, garlic fights against pimples quite efficiently. On the other hand, its sulfur content speeds up the healing process and averts further breakouts. Just slice up a few fresh garlic cloves and rub those on your pimples. Alternatively, you can make a coarse paste by mashing a couple of garlic cloves with a little warm water and apply it. Wait for half an hour and wash off with lukewarm water.

7. Turmeric

From banishing simple pimples to treating severe skin conditions, turmeric can do it all. It is an age-old antibacterial as well as antiseptic, which gives beautiful blemish-free skin naturally. Take 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and make a paste of it by mixing a little water. Apply it and rinse off once dries. If you are suffering from cystic acne, you need to prepare a thick solution by boiling 3 tablespoons of turmeric in 3 cups of water. Make sure that you cover the troubled area with a gauge after applying it.

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be used in two different ways for combating pimples on any type of skin. Make a paste by blending cinnamon powder with raw honey 1 teaspoon each, let it sit on the troubled spots for the whole night and finally, wash off with cold water. Otherwise, mix 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice with the same amount of cinnamon powder and wash off the paste with lukewarm water in the morning. If you are allergic to cinnamon, steer clear of this remedy anyway.

9. Cucumber

When it comes to getting rid of pimples, cleansing the pores and achieving a squeaky clean skin becomes essential. Here comes the importune of cucumber. The humble fruit with great cooling and soothing effects also come with tons of vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll. So, peel and grate a fresh cucumber and leave it on your pimples for 15-20 minutes before washing off. You can also drink cucumber-infused water or wash your face with it 3-4 times daily.

10. Papaya

Crush some fresh raw papaya into a lump-free paste and apply it all over those zits. It will become semi-dry in 20 to 30 minutes. Then, rinse with plain water. The enzymes present in the fruit helps a lot in reducing inflammation while its antioxidant properties put a stop to further breakouts.

11. Aloe Vera

The best thing about aloe vera is that it possesses both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, it will work as a complete treatment for your pimples. Get some pure aloe gel from the market or extract some from a fresh aloe vera leaf. Apply it directly to the affected parts of your skin and massage gently for a minute. Let the gel sit for next 15 minutes. Rinse off with plain water.

12. Neem

Neem is one of the best home remedies you can ever use for all your breakout problems. No matter what your skin type is, the antibacterial, antiseptic, and astringent qualities of this simple ingredient will work every time. Take 1 teaspoon of commercially available neem powder and make a paste of it by adding a little water. Apply thoroughly. Once dries, wash off with plain water. Repeat it every day for the best results.

13. Whole Milk

Treat your skin with the milk-honey facial regularly and keep pimples at bay by making it bacteria-free. All you need to do is combine (1/2) tablespoon of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of raw honey and apply to the troubled areas of the skin with the help of a cotton ball. Massage gently for a couple of minutes and then, let it dry. After 25-30 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water.

14. Yogurt

From healing bacterial infections to soothing inflammation and redness, yogurt can do a lot for our skin. If you are suffering from pimples, layer 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt over the pimples and the area around them as well. A light-handed massage will be good at this stage. After half an hour, the mask will dry up and you will be ready for the rinse.

15. Egg White

Though egg white can turn dry skin even drier, it actually works like magic for normal, combination, and oily-skinned beauties having pimples. Once you separate the white part of the egg from its yolk, just apply it to your skin directly by using your fingertips. Wash off with tepid water after half an hour. The enzymes present in it will draw impurities out of clogged pores, normalize sebum production, and heal pimples fast. To make this remedy even stronger, add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the egg white.

16. Baking Soda

Prepare a thick paste by mixing a little warm water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and apply it to your pimples twice every day after dampening the face slightly. You will be amazed by the outcomes as baking soda will promote pH balance in your skin, bring dirt and bacteria out of it, and eliminate inflammation. However, leave the paste on your skin for 2-3 minutes only and then, wash off with warm water.

17. Apple Cider Vinegar

Just like lemon juice, you can also use pure and undiluted apple cider vinegar in order to clear up your skin. But it often becomes a little tough to apply it directly to the affected parts due to its strong acidic nature. So, mix it up with water (1:1) and dab onto your pimples with the help of a cotton ball. It will start working in a few minutes and you can wash it off with cold water after 5-7 minutes. Regular use of it will make your skin free of excess oil and bacteria easily.

18. Cornstarch

Treating pimples on a sensitive skin can be really tricky, but cornstarch can turn out to be your perfect rescuer. Blend 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with a little water and apply the thin mixture to your breakouts as well as the red, blotchy parts around. Being very gentle on the skin, it will work on the zits without causing irritation and heal them eventually.

19. Multani Mitti

The skin benefits of Multani mitti or Fuller’s earth are quite well-known. The ingredient is equally effective for pimples. You can easily prepare a pimple-busting mask at home by blending 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of rosewater with 2 tablespoons of Multani mitti. The thick paste should be applied to the damp skin in an even layer and left for drying. Not only your pimples will shrink in size but you will also experience fast healing.

20. Sea Salt

A sea salt mask is perfect to remove pimples from normal, oily, and combination skin as it is a mild antimicrobial agent and a natural healer. Warm up the sea salt and water mixture (1:3) a little and dab it all over the affected parts of your skin with the help of a cotton ball. It will dry up in 7-10 minutes. Just wash off with cold water.

21. Epsom Salt

If sea salt is not available at your place, replace it with Epsom salt. Prepare a concoction by mixing 1 teaspoon of the salt well with a half cup of water and apply it to your zits with a cotton ball. After a few minutes, wash it off with warm water followed by a cold water rinse. Stubborn pimples on your back and buttocks can be treated with this remedy.

22. Aspirin

It might sound weird, but Aspirin is one of the most effective remedies for pimples that is suitable for all skin types. It promotes the shrinkage of zits on any part of your body by drawing impurities out of them and the anti-inflammatory properties of the medication help reduce swelling, redness, etc. to a great extent. All you need to do is crush a tablet, form a paste by adding a little bit of water and apply it to your pimples directly. Leave it on for the whole night and wash off in the morning with plain water.

23. Essential Oils

Pimples can be healed or eradicated successfully with the proper use of a number of essential oils. However, make sure that you do a patch test before trying any of these in order to avoid adverse effects. Here are the options to choose from:

• Tea Tree Essential Oil: Dilute the oil by adding a few drops to 1 teaspoon of jojoba oil/olive oil / pure aloe vera gel / plain water, and apply to the pimples by using a cotton ball. Let it sit for half an hour before rinsing off.
  
• Frankincense Essential Oil: Apply 1-2 drops of undiluted oil directly to those stubborn zits on your forehead and leave overnight.
  
• Peppermint Essential Oil: Blend a few drops of the oil with 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil and apply to pimples anywhere on your face. It needs to be reapplied every few hours.
  
• Lavender Essential Oil: Apply a few drops of undiluted oil onto the pimples on your face, back and legs and let it air-dry. Repeat it twice or thrice every day for the best results.
  
• Lemon Essential Oil: Apply 2-3 drops of undiluted oil to the pimples anywhere on your body with the help of a cotton ball and repeat 3-4 times a day to see the effects.
  
• Grapeseed Essential Oil: Massage the affected parts of your skin gently with a few drops of undiluted oil and leave it for the whole night to let it work.
  
• Primrose Essential Oil: Pop open a soft gel oil capsule, apply the oil directly to the troubled spots, and massage light-handedly. Try doing it before going to bed and rinse in the morning with tepid water.
  
• Lemongrass Essential Oil: Prepare an essential oil spray by adding a few drops of undiluted oil to one bottle of spray water. Shake well and spritz on your pimples. Repeat it twice daily.

While using home remedies is a reliable way to get rid of pimples, following a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle is also indispensable to prevent their occurrence in future. If none of these work for you, seek the help of a skin specialist and opt for effective treatments.