How to deal with a blind pimple (and actually get rid of it)

Because it always shows up at the worst possible time

Dealing with a blind pimple is so annoying. Those pesky things always seem to pop up right before a special event or on a day when you really need your makeup to sit well.

Half the time it sticks around for weeks, sitting loud and proud on your face. When you talk to people, in your head you're thinking 'they are looking at it!'.

And the more you prod it, the worse it gets.

We've all been there, picked at a blind pimple only to end up with something that's either bright red, bleeding, or somehow angrier than before.

And don't even get me started on when the skin around it goes flaky, so you try to put face moisturiser and makeup on top but you can clearly see the layers of skin and how the makeup sitting on it. It's honestly the worst.

So naturally you go full DIY mode. You're rummaging through the kitchen cupboard for a tea bag, grabbing ice from the fridge to bring down the redness and swelling. But halfway through the day it's still there, staring back at you in the mirror while you try to get on with your day at work. Sound familiar?

Let's talk about what actually works for dealing with blind pimples under the skin.

Getting the blind pimple to come to a head

The first thing you need to do is get that pimple to come to the surface. That pus-filled bit needs to work its way up to the top before you can do anything about it.

Start by making sure your face is clean. Whether you've had a steamy shower, done a steam bath, or just washed your face with a cleanser and fresh water, you want your pores open and ready.

Then grab a muslin cloth or a soft clean cloth, dunk it into almost-hot water, and press it gently but firmly onto the pimple. Hold the compress on there for a bit, then re-dip with a fresh section of the cloth and repeat a couple of times. This warm compress is doing the work of drawing everything up toward the surface.

Drawing out the pimple

Once you've done the warm compress, you want to apply something that's going to pull out the nastiness. Look for a paste, clay, cream, or pimple sticker that contains benzoyl peroxide or sulfur. These are your best friends for a pimple under the skin. If you're using a cream or paste, apply it with a cotton bud so you're being precise about it and not getting any bacteria in there. If you're using a pimple sticker, just pop it straight on top.

The best time to do this is overnight. While you sleep, all that bad stuff gets drawn up to the top. If you need to go to work and you're comfortable with a sticker on, that works too, but overnight while at rest is going to give you the best results for getting rid of a blind pimple fast.

How to pop a blind pimple (the right way)

If you wake up and there's a proper whitehead sitting there, you're ready. If the skin still looks tight and shiny but there's no head yet, it's best to wait a bit longer. Going in too early is how you end up with scars.

When it's ready and you've got dry skin, use a clean tissue so you're not pressing bacteria from your fingers into the skin. Position your fingers on either side of the pimple and apply gentle pressure, working around it to encourage the whitehead to release rather than just digging straight in.

The idea is to get around it and try to pop that skin up to release the sebum. If you see a little blood, that's okay, it just means you went a touch hard.

After you've popped it

Now that it's out, the area is open and exposed, so you need to close it up and keep it clean.

Use a tissue or cotton pad to blot away any oil or blood from the area. Don't rub, just blot. Then leave it completely alone for a couple of hours. No makeup, no face creams, nothing that could irritate it.

After that, use a gentle cleanser on the area to keep it clean and help reduce the chance of any scarring or scabbing. Then apply some cream to help it close up. This helps with reducing any kind of post-pimple marks left behind.

If you followed all of this, hopefully you're left with a nice clean face and that blind pimple is finally history.