Acne is one of the commonest skin conditions that impact a lot of people. A blind pimple is a type of acne but differs from a usual pimple. As it is formed under the skin, you can’t see it from a distance. However, you can feel its presence on touching the place where it is formed. In this article, we will provide you some natural home remedies to help you get rid of this bump on the skin.
What is a Blind Pimple?
Pimple is a broad term for various types of acne. Blind pimples are cysts. They have an enclosed sac-like structure that contains bacteria, and sebum. It feels like a pimple on the skin and can cause pain to the person. Areas that have more oil glands are prone to the formation of blind pimples. These include the face, shoulders, neck, upper back, jawline, and chest.
Blind pimples are cysts that form beneath the surface of the skin. These cysts consist of a closed sac formed out of the skin that contains sebum and bacteria. Unlike blackheads, whiteheads, and other forms of acne, a blind pimple is completely sealed below the skin. Though they are difficult to detect, they cause pain to the person.
What Is Cause For Occurrence Of Blind Pimple?
A blind pimple is developed under the skin as a painful lump with no head like other types of pimples. It is formed when the skin pores get clogged with bacteria, sebum, dust, and dead skin cells.
Due to which sebum is not able to reach the surface of the skin. The accumulation of the sebum in the sebaceous gland takes the form of a blind pimple. The presence of sebum and dead skin cells serve as the breeding ground for the bacteria in the blocked follicle.
These bacteria secrete chemicals, and enzymes and attract white blood cells. This causes inflammation in the skin that surrounds the pimple. It appears red, painful, and swollen. There are a few conditions that increase the chances of clogging of skin pores.
1. Oily Skin
People who have oily skin are more prone to the development of blind pimples. This is because the level of sebum production is high in that type of skin. In other words, there is a greater possibility of clogging on the skin.
2. Changes In Hormone Levels
Certain phases in life cause natural fluctuations in the level of hormones (estrogen and progesterone). These include menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and puberty. At those times, there is a higher secretion of androgens hormone in the body. This causes an increase in the sebaceous glands that leads to excessive sebum production.
3. Ongoing Medications
This is another reason that can make your sebum glands overactive. The specific type of medications such as contraceptive agents, antidepressants, and corticosteroids increase sebum production in the skin. This promotes the development of clogged pores that, in turn, lead to the formation of blind pimples.
How Long Does A Blind Pimple Last?
You can’t get rid of a blind pimple overnight. In fifty to eight percent of cases, a blind pimple vanishes on its own. Depending on its intensity, it may take around a few weeks to a few months for it to disappear.
Natural remedies and OTC medicines could provide relief from these pimples. Picking on them aggravates inflammation and can even cause permanent scarring. Though it may be difficult to get rid of blind pimples, regular skincare and patience will help in their treatment.
Home Remedies To Treat A Blind Pimple
A blind pimple can go away on its own. Several home remedies speed up the process of healing.
1. Warm Compress
A warm compress opens up the pores that draw the pimple nearer to the surface of the skin. It softens the clogging and clears the blocked pores. It encourages the formation of the pimple head so that the sebum, bacteria, dead skin cells to exit from the skin.
Furthermore, the heat you receive from the warm compress aids in alleviating pain. It is a simple and safe treatment that you can do from the comfort of the home.
Take a clean cloth. Soak it in warm water. Hold it against the impacted skin for ten minutes. Perform the treatment thrice a day till the pimple completely heals or develops the head. Once it raises and comes to the surface, it becomes easier to treat with OTC medicines.
2. Apply Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil is a mild alternative to chemical-rich harsh antibiotics and OTC chemicals. This oil is touted as a potent antibacterial product that can help destroy the bacteria that lead to blind pimples. It is helpful for the treatment of moderate acne that forms on the skin. As it is an essential oil, you should dilute it before use.
Add one part of this oil to one part of carrier oil – coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, or olive oil. Apply it to the skin. Perform the remedy two times a day for twelve weeks. Wash the skin in the morning with a mild face wash.
The application of this oil not just vanish acne but also prevents the development of breakouts in the future. The oil can soothe your skin as well as hasten the healing process. It is safe to use the remedy daily.
Note that tea tree oil is only meant for topical use on the skin. Do not ingest tea tree oil as it can cause health risks. You can easily buy tea tree oil online. For optimum efficacy, you will use a product that has a minimum of 5% tea tree oil.
3. Use Pimple Stickers
Pimple stickers are a spot treatment to eliminate the sebum trapped inside the blind pimple. It absorbs excess oil, lowers inflammation, and considerably reduces the size of marks.
Pimple stickers have a tiny dot that has salicylic acid in it. This makes it highly efficient to cure acne. You can easily find them at drugstores. They are unnoticeable, and can be applied to the affected region throughout the day, or overnight. Let us see how you can use pimple stickers on the skin.
4. Toothpaste
Look for toothpaste that has clove oil or mint oil as they can help reduce the size of the pimple to a good extent. To use this remedy, you need to apply some amount of toothpaste on the affected skin. Do this before you go to bed. Let it stay overnight.
Wash off the skin with lukewarm water the next morning. Repeat this process till you notice a reduction in the blind pimple. People who have sensitive skin, need to be watchful as chemicals contained in the toothpaste can cause skin irritation.
5. Honey
Honey is a potent remedy to chemical-infused OTC treatments. It has got potent antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Both these properties help in fighting against the bacteria that cause blind pimples to form on the skin. To implement this remedy, it is required to dip a cotton ball in honey.
Apply it in good amounts on the impacted skin. Let it stay for twenty minutes. Wash off the skin with lukewarm water. Repeat the steps thrice daily to get the best results. Use the raw and organic honey to derive the desired outcome.
You can even mix it with plain water to cleanse your skin daily. In a few days of application, you will notice the head of the pimple to come out on the skin. When this happens, it becomes easier to treat blind pimples.
6. Milk
Milk is good for bones and the face. It has alpha-hydroxy acids that unblock and clean the pores. It works by eliminating the outer dead skin and the deposited dirt, and oil from it. To use the remedy for blind pimple treatment, take a cotton ball, and dip it in raw milk. Let it stay for ten more minutes. Now wash the skin with lukewarm water. Perform the steps thrice a day to get the results.
7. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is the simplest and cost-effective cleanser. It works as an astringent agent. It takes away all the dirt, sebum, and bacteria trapped inside the blind pimple. The juice has citric acid that dries out the pimple. This makes lemon juice an effective treatment for the blind pimple.
To use this remedy, you will need to take a medium-sized lemon and extract its juice. Now take a clean cotton ball. Dip it in the juice. Apply it all over the inflamed region. Let it stay on for fifteen minutes. Wash your skin with plain water. Perform this remedy twice a week to see a noticeable reduction in the pimple size.
8. Relieve Pain With Ice
An ice pack is beneficial to use at the time when the pimple dries out. It helps to lessen inflammation, swelling, and redness in the skin that surrounds the pimple. Here are the steps to follow to use the remedy:
- Clean the skin with the help of warm water and a mild facial wash. Dry the area using a clean towel.
- Prepare an ice pack by putting some ice cubes into a clean towel or plastic bag.
- Now hold the ice pack against the impacted skin for five minutes. After five minutes, replace it with another ice bag for five more minutes.
- Repeat this step thrice a day to reduce signs of inflammation on the skin.
9. Apply A Topical Antibiotic
Topical antibiotics help in eliminating bacteria that lead to the development of the blind pimple. It also helps lessen inflammation and empty the pimple. This is a good preventive measure to treat the repeated occurrence of blind pimples.
The two safe and recommended types of topical antibiotics for different types of acne are erythromycin and clindamycin. Available in gel form, apply it two times on the skin daily. People who have sensitive skin should restrict their use to once a day.
Useful Tips To Prevent Blind Pimples
A blind pimple can be a nightmare. While hardly noticeable, these cysts can result in skin inflammation and cause pain and discomfort. This can make it hard for you to touch the skin.
But you don’t have to worry as it is easy to prevent them by keeping good hygiene and skincare. In addition to the above home remedies, here are a few steps that you can do to prevent the occurrence the cysts on the skin.
- When a dirty pillow touches the face. It can cause a bacterial infection on the skin. This can cause blocking of the pores and build-up of blind pimples on the skin. Washing your pillowcases daily prevents these consequences to a good extent.
- Prevention is the best way to deal with blind pimples. Unclean skin can lead to irritation or pimples on the skin. A deposition of dead skin and sebum within the pore causes the formation of clog. This results in a blind pimple. So, it is important to keep the skin clean. Washing the face two times a day with safe products. It will be helpful to prevent pimples on the skin.
- It is quite obvious that the presence of a pimple on the skin could tempt you to scratch it. But make sure you do not touch the face a lot. It is because pimple attracts oil and dirt to it. Scrubbing can aggravate the skin and increase the possibility of permanent scars. It could even develop into a painful infection.
- Use oil-free, non-acnegenic, and non-comedogenic skincare products that don’t lead to acne.
- Follow a consistent skincare routine. Keep the skin free from dead skin, dirt, debris, etc. that causes blocking of skin pores. Cleanse the skin daily and frequently do exfoliation. It will help reduce the chances of the formation of blind pimples and maintain clear and healthy skin.
- If you have oily hair, then you should shampoo it regularly to prevent it from transferring oil to the face.
When Should You Consult A Dermatologist?
Blind pimples are a challenging type of acne to deal with. It requires perseverance and time to treat the pimple without causing any damage to the skin. Keep the skin around the blind pimple clean. Do not touch it. Avoid applying makeup till the pimple heals. If you find that the blind pimple is unaffected by any home-based remedial measures, then you should seek professional medical assistance.
Based on the condition, a dermatologist will prescribe a treatment plan comprising oral medicines and other treatments to lessen pain and swelling and promote healing. Also, if you see a repeated occurrence of blind pimples then also you should consult a dermatologist.
Conclusion
A blind pimple does not last for a lifetime. It goes away on its own with time. Its prevention is possible with the correct approach and patience. Remedies like acne stickers and warm compresses help remove dead skin cells, bacteria, and sebum from the skin.
The use of ice helps relieve inflammation. If you notice the frequent occurrence of blind pimples on the skin, then consult a dermatologist. He/she may advise you of specialized treatment to heal blind pimples naturally.
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