I probably haven’t had a pimple in five years, but right now I have a marvelous red crater the size of Texas on my chin.
Home remedies, any advice, please help. I know it’s vain (hey, like you didn’t already know that about me), but I don’t want to leave my house until this thing goes down a little. It’s so gross. Ack.
And the irony is that I just spend $100 on lotions, potions and facial emotions with my Xmas gift card. I’m using some of the best face stuff they make, and yet, I have this albatross on my chin.
Ok, I’m being dramatic, but still, any tips? Quickie solutions preferred.
You can decrease the red by dousing it with eye drops (you know, for red and irritated eyes). It works, I’ve tried it. Doesn’t make the zit go away, though.
Retin-A is preventitive but it might be worth getting a prescription for emergencies like this because it makes them go away so fast.
My WAG is that there’s a connection here. I know that for me, I don’t use a damn thing on my face except water, and whatever soap runs down from my hair after a shampoo. Why? Because when I do use stuff - even the high-priced “best” stuff out there - I break out afterwards. The more crap I put on my face, the worse I break out. Simple cleaning with water and little bits of soap? Perfect skin.
The worst breakout I ever had was right after I had the one professional facial I’ve ever had in my life. I never had zits like that, even when I was a teenager.
Douse a washcloth with as hot as water as you can stand. Hold the washcloth over the zit for a few minutes. This should open the pore enough that mild pressure should pop the head. Don’t squeeze too tightly. Repeat the hot compress until the pore opens sufficiently to readily give up the blockage.
Gouge out that throbbing red pussball now! Squeeze it out, crack it open! Get rid of the foul puss that inflames it! Use your fingernails. Squeeze hard! No mercy! Squeeze it now! Make it splatter on the mirror!
I tried that a little while ago, but it hurt. Whah.
I really shouldn’t complain, since I never get these, but damn. This one kinda itches and hurts all at the same time. I’ve taken to using my fiance’s teenage strength facial scrub that makes my skin all dry. It gives that tingly feeling though, so it at least makes me feel like it’s doing something.
And, Athena, I know you’re right, but usually my expensive stuff makes my skin look awesome. I’ve been using it for a long time and have never had any problems. I’m all about the age prevention. The Lancome people can sell me anything, they see this sucker coming a mile away.
well, consider yourself lucky there, indygrrl. I’ve had to battle zits since I was 14! Not very fun, especially when there are realllly bad.
Honestly, I could never really get any medicine that would actually prevent them, but I will tell you this, anything that you can use to dry it out, will make it go away faster. Use oxy or something that is designed to dry it the hell out, for a couple of days. that should turn it into a small red dot, which will persist for a while but not be so bad… Or you could do something else like actually try to pop it, but there are some that just don’t want to be popped. If you could pop it, I am sure it would probably go down faster, but since you don’t get them often, I’m sure scaring isn’t a problem for you. The chin is a difficult area too. I used to get the bad ones on my neck, so I could really put the squeeze on them, but hot water will bring a head to some of them… but if you still haven’t got a head after a while, there isn’t much hope for popage. In either case whether you pop it or not, make sure you get those extreme drying medicines on it after you pop it. But if it won’t pop, squeezing it will only make it worse…
Look on the bright side… You have a fiancee. I’m sure he loves you with a big zit anyway. At least you don’t have to be worried about attracting the opposite sex.
A dab of toothpaste, or any other beauty product you have that might contain mint and/or clay. I keep a jar of Queen Helene Mint Mask in the closet for this type o’thing between the mint & the drawing action of the clay, it will clean that nasty little thing right up.
I work in a derm office, and all day long I hear our doctors telling people to never use Lancome. They say it’s for old women that have too much money, and it doesn’t do your skin a damn bit of good. Good old-fashioned Dove soap is what they recommend. I second the hot compresses until it forms a head then squeeze that sucker for all it’s worth. If it’s very painful and itchy, are you sure it’s not a cold sore? They can be on your chin as well as around the mouth.
Oh, as for makeup, the cheap drugstore makeup can be just as good as the expensive department store kind. You just have to find the one that’s right for your skin. Look for one with the least amount of ingredients.
I’m a super freak, I’ve only washed my face with a washcloth and water my whole life. I’m 38 now. My sister has lots of face acne (she’s 34 and takes oral antibiotics to keep it under control). It grosses her out to the nth degree when I tell her I never use soap or face cleaning products.
Just water and washcloth to exfoliate. Oil of Olay every day since 7th grade. I know its gotta be genetics and I got the good genes and my brother and sis got the genes from hell.
For my roseca, I have some topical Erythromycin from doctor. I pull that out about 4x a year for my red cheeks and dab it on the sorta zit or two I have.
I think all them skin cleaners are bad too. But, I only know my skin.
I am not a Doctor, and I would never give medical advice, but that area of the face drains into the same very slow draining veins that drain the brain. It is not a real good idea to “pop” or squeeze that area, because you don’t want to push the infection into the bloodstream. That infection can linger in the carotid sinus and can be bad for your brain. Consider seeing your dermatologist if you cannot bear this zit.
Ok, I have it down to the size of Vermont now. I kinda picked/squeezed the stuff out, then immediately put astringent and this salicylic acid stuff on it. It’s drying up nicely, and hopefully by tomorrow it will look ok under makeup.
And I can’t believe dermatologists are against Lancome. It’s my absolute favorite. It may be for old ladies, but it has always worked for me. It makes my skin feel like velvet. And since I just spent my whole holiday gift card on it, I’m gonna keep using it. But, when I run out I won’t be able to afford it again until next Christmas, so it will be back to Noxema and other cheaper cleansers.
I get a pimple like that every month, about a week, week and half before the Red Alert. It’s always in the chin area and of the unpoppable variety. I didn’t start getting them until about 2 years ago. I have noticed that stress will usually make it worse. Don’t be surprised if another one doesn’t show up next month.
Do you have a cite for this? In my office, we do “incision and drainage” on pimples all the time. None of the doctors have ever warned us of this being likely to occur.
It’s my absolute favorite. It may be for old ladies, but it has always worked for me. It makes my skin feel like velvet. And since I just spent my whole holiday gift card on it, I’m gonna keep using it. But, when I run out I won’t be able to afford it again until next Christmas, so it will be back to Noxema and other cheaper cleansers.