How to get rid of pimples without popping them

A pimple is a small, red, raised spot caused by acne. The FDA defines it as a small, prominent, inflamed bump on the skin. Some pimples are small and shallow and heal within days. Others sit deep and hurt for weeks. This guide covers how to treat each type at home, why popping slows healing, and which pimples need a doctor. For the full acne plan, see how to get rid of acne.

Know which pimple you have

The US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the NHS describe the main types of acne spots.

Type	What it looks like	What the American Academy of Dermatology suggests
Papule	Small, red or pink bump, can be tender. On brown and black skin it may look brown or purple	Wash twice daily with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid
Pustule	Like a papule, with a white or yellow center of pus	Same wash. Resist popping. See a dermatologist if no better in six to eight weeks
Nodule or cyst	A large, painful lump deep in the skin that you may feel more than see	Needs a dermatologist's help. These often leave permanent scars

Blackheads and whiteheads are clogged pores without much redness. They respond best to a retinoid such as adapalene, and the AAD adds a benzoyl peroxide wash.

Treating a red pimple or a pus-filled spot

For papules and pustules, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests washing twice a day with an acne product that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. A leave-on gel with one of the same ingredients is another option. Benzoyl peroxide reduces the bacteria that make pimples red, and the AAD advises starting at 2.5 percent.

Use a thin layer on the whole area that breaks out. The AAD says putting acne medicine only on the spots you see treats what is there but fails to prevent new ones. Give it six to eight weeks. Acne spot treatment explains when putting a product on a single spot makes sense.

Treating a deep, painful pimple

A pimple you can feel under the skin, often without a head, is usually a nodule or a cyst. The AAD gives four home steps:

1. Hands off. Squeezing a nodule or cyst can make it more noticeable and raise the risk of infection, discoloration and scarring, especially on darker skin.
2. Warm compress. Soak a clean washcloth in hot water and hold the warm, damp cloth on the spot for 10 to 15 minutes, three times a day. This helps the pimple move closer to the surface so it can heal. Use a clean washcloth every time.
3. Treat it once it surfaces. The AAD says acne medicine works better when the pimple is near the surface. Use a thin layer of a product with adapalene, azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. A hydrocolloid patch can protect the spot and help it heal. Pimple patches covers what patches do.
4. Protect it from the sun. Some acne ingredients make skin more sensitive to sun, so use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher that will not clog pores.

For pain, the AAD says ice reduces inflammation, especially in nodules and cysts. If the lump does not go away, or you get several, see a dermatologist.

Why popping makes pimples last longer

The AAD explains that squeezing often pushes the contents of a pimple deeper into the skin. That increases inflammation and can lead to a more noticeable spot, pain and scars. Bacteria on your hands can also cause an infection. NICE, which writes clinical guidance for England, says persistent picking or scratching can increase the risk of scarring, and the NHS says not to pick or squeeze spots because this can cause scars.

A dermatologist can remove acne safely. The AAD lists three methods done in a clinic with sterile tools: extraction for blackheads and whiteheads, a corticosteroid injection for one especially painful nodule or cyst, and opening and draining a large cyst. The AAD says a corticosteroid injection will flatten most nodules or cysts within 48 to 72 hours, and that only a doctor should give one. You should never try to drain a cyst at home.

What to skip

Several popular fixes irritate the skin and make pimples last longer.

• Toothpaste. AAD dermatologists say toothpaste often contains abrasive ingredients, whitening agents, color and flavor, and that none of these fight acne. They can irritate or harm the skin.
• Scrubs and rough cloths. The AAD says scrubbing irritates acne-prone skin and makes acne flare. Wash with fingertips and a mild cleanser, then pat dry with a clean towel.
• Astringents and rubbing alcohol. The AAD says these dry the skin, and dry skin is irritated skin that risks more acne.
• Layering several acne products on one spot. The FDA requires acne product labels to warn that irritation and dryness are more likely when another acne medicine is used at the same time.

Pimples on brown and black skin

On brown and black skin, a pimple can leave a dark mark that lasts longer than the pimple itself. The AAD says squeezing a deep pimple raises the risk of discoloration, especially on darker skin. In a 2023 AAD release, a dermatologist added that any inflammation in the skin, such as an acne bump, carries a risk of darkening, and that the risk rises without sun protection. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, and treating pimples early instead of picking them, are the two steps the AAD stresses. AAD dermatologists also say that dark spots after acne clears are a reason to see a dermatologist, because they point to a lot of inflammation. A separate Skinli guide covers how dark marks fade.

A two-week plan for a breakout

Days	What to do
Every day	Wash twice with a mild cleanser and fingertips. Keep hands off. Moisturizer, then sunscreen in the morning
Nights 1 to 14	A thin layer of one acne ingredient on the whole area, every other night at first
For a deep, sore spot	Warm, damp washcloth for 10 to 15 minutes, three times a day. Ice for pain. A patch to stop picking
Day 14	Keep going. Most treatments need six to eight weeks to show fewer pimples

Skinli's plan says to see a doctor if a spot is hot, swollen, sore or has a yellow crust, or if you feel sick with it. The NHS lists hot, swollen, red skin as a sign of skin infection.

When pimples keep coming back

Pimples that return week after week need steady treatment of the whole area. The AAD's advice:

• Treat the whole area where you break out, every day, with one proven ingredient.
• Check that your makeup, sunscreen and hair products say non-comedogenic or won't clog pores, and take makeup off before bed.
• Keep hair off your face if it is oily, and wash your face after sweating.
• Give the treatment six to eight weeks before judging it.

Skinli's plan follows the same idea. It uses two gels at night, benzoyl peroxide 2.5 percent and adapalene 0.1 percent, spread in a thin layer on the whole area that gets pimples.

When a pimple is something else

The AAD says some bumps that look like acne are another condition. Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles. Perioral dermatitis causes pimple-like spots around the mouth. Hidradenitis suppurativa, also called acne inversa, is another condition people mistake for acne. Each of these needs different treatment.

The AAD suggests seeing a dermatologist if you have pimple-like bumps in unusual places, such as the armpit, groin, thighs or the backs of the upper arms. The NHS says to see a doctor if you have signs of a skin infection, such as hot, swollen and red skin, which can be harder to see on brown and black skin.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if pimples are deep and painful, leave scars or dark marks, keep coming back despite 6 to 8 weeks of treatment, or affect how you feel about yourself. The NHS lists these same reasons, and adds acne that is affecting your mental health. The AAD says many people with acne can benefit from a dermatologist, and you do not need severe acne to go. Severe acne and when to see a dermatologist sets out what a doctor can offer.