How to get rid of a blind pimple

What is a blind pimple?

A comedo is a typical acne lesion. Someone who has mild acne may have whiteheads or blackheads that healthcare professionals call comedonesTrusted Source. A closed comedo that stays under the skin is a whitehead, and an open comedo that reaches the surface of the skin is a blackhead.

A closed comedo that develops deep within the skin is called a blind pimple. A blind pimple may be painful if it is particularly deep in the skin’s layers.

The comedo may emerge as a whitehead as it rises through the layers of the skin, or it might disappear.

Home remedies

A person can manage a simple blind pimple at home, and it will often disappear on its own.

The following list offers tips to try at home that may help treat a blind pimple.

Never squeeze a blind pimple

Trying to pop a blind pimple can result in permanent scars, a more noticeable pimple, the pimple becoming more painful, or an infection.

Squeezing the blind pimple also risks pushing its contents — a blend of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria — deeper into the skin. This can lead to increased inflammation.

Apply a warm compress

Applying a warm compress can help treat a blind pimple. The heat can open up pores, which may draw the pimple closer to the skin’s surface and create a head.

The formation of a head enables the sebum, cells, and bacteria to exit the skin.

The heat from the compress can also help relieve pain.

To treat a blind pimple with a warm compress, a person can:

1. Create a warm compress: Soak a clean washcloth in water that is hot but not too hot to touch.
2. Apply the warm compress: Hold the warm compress on the blind pimple for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the application three to four times a day until the blind pimple comes to a head and releases the pus.
3. Keep the affected area clean. Make sure the area around the pimple is kept clean, and avoid touching it. Avoid using makeup until the pimple heals.

Try a pimple sticker

A pimple sticker or an acne dot is a tiny sticky patch that can be placed over a blind pimple. It usually containsTrusted Source an agent that helps treat acneTrusted Source, such as salicylic acid.

They aim to work by drawing out sebum, absorbing excess oil, reducing inflammation, and significantly reducing the size of blemishes.

Pimple stickers are available from drugstores. They are discreet and barely noticeable, and people can wear them overnight or throughout the day.

The length of time that a person should wear a pimple sticker varies, but they usually need changing at least once every 24 hours.

Try tea tree oil

According to a 2023 review of research, tea tree oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that may help treat acne lesions, such as blind pimples. Some anecdotal reports also suggest that tea tree oil may be beneficial for treating acne.

However, the review authors noted that further studies into tea tree oil for treating acne are necessary. Similarly, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)Trusted Source notes there is a lack of research into the effects of topical tea tree oil on humans.

Although research suggests essential oils may have some health benefits, it is important to remember that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not monitor or regulate the purity or quality of these oils. A person should talk with a healthcare professional before using essential oils and research the quality of a particular brand’s products. It is also important to always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil.

Use topical acne treatments

If a person does not notice an improvement in their skin while using one product, it can be helpful to add another product to the treatment strategy. They can try a product that tackles a different cause of acne.

For example, if a person is using a product that contains benzoyl peroxide, the second treatment should include another ingredient that helps treat acne.

There are various ingredients for acne, each targeting different causes:

• Benzoyl peroxide: This reduces bacteria and may decrease sebum production.
• Salicylic acid: This unblocks pores by removing the layer of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. It can also relieve inflammation.
• Sulfur: This helps break down whiteheads and blackheads.
• Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs): These work by exfoliating the skin.
• Retinoids: These unblock pores and reduce oil.

These ingredients are present in many anti-acne washes, creams, gels, facial scrubs, lotions, and premoistened cloths.

A prescription is not necessary for treatments that contain most of these ingredients, although many are also available in prescription strength.

Relieve pain with ice

An ice pack can be useful for reducing discoloration and other changes, inflammation, and swelling after a pimple has emptied.

To use ice to reduce swelling and other skin changes, a person can:

1. Use a mild facial wash and warm water, and pat the area dry with a clean towel.
2. Put ice cubes into a plastic bag or clean towel.
3. Hold the ice pack against the affected area for 5 minutes, remove for 5 minutes, and replace for another 5 minutes.
4. Repeat the ice application three to four times a day.

However, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service notes that a person should check with a healthcare professional before using ice packs for skin conditions.

Preventing blind pimples

Blind pimples may seem to appear unexpectedly, but people can take steps to help prevent them. To reduce the chance of getting a pimple, a person can:

• Only washing the face twice a day or when sweaty: Skin that is prone to developing blind pimples can become irritated if cleaned more often.
• Avoid scrubbing facial skin: Pimple-prone skin may feel greasy or dirty, but it must not be scrubbed clean. Scrubbing can further aggravate the skin and worsen acne.
• Using skin care products that do not cause acne: Look for products that are labeled as “noncomedogenic,” “nonacnegenic,” or “oil-free.”
• Regularly washing pillowcases and other items that touch the face: Dead skin cells and bacteria can build up on fabrics, which can block pores.
• Asking a dermatologist for advice: If blind pimples continue to occur regularly or become severe, a dermatologist can help.

What causes a blind pimple?

Blind pimples occur in areas of the skin with more oil glands, such as the face, neck, shoulders, back, and chest.

The oil glands in the skin are called sebaceous glands. The small holes in the skin, known as pores, are connected to sebaceous glands by a canal called a follicle.

Sebaceous glands secrete oil called sebum through the opening of a follicle to protect the skin and keep it moisturized.

If a pore becomes blocked with dead skin cells, then sebum is unable to reach the skin’s surface. With nowhere to go, the sebum builds upTrusted Source in the sebaceous gland and develops into a pimple.

In severe cases, the mixture of dead skin cells and sebum allows bacteria that usually grow on the skin to accumulate in the blocked follicle.

When this happens, the bacteria produce enzymes and chemicals, attracting white blood cells. This results in redness or discoloration, swelling, heat, and pain — collectively known as inflammation.

Summary

It can be frustrating waiting for a blind pimple to clear on its own.

Warm compresses can help bring a pimple to a head so that the sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria can exit the skin’s surface. Using ice can help relieve inflammation. Other treatments, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, may help manage acne and prevent pimples from forming.

If blind pimples occur frequently or are particularly inflamed and painful, a person may wish to seek advice from a dermatologist.