Sigh. I love you, winter. But there’s one thing about you that I definitely don’t love. No, not the cold weather; I love that! It’s the pimples I don’t like. Yes, your pimples can get worse in the winter, surprisingly. Because your skin gets dried out from the harsh winter winds and decrease in moisture, the dead skin that’s left on top can clog your pores – and you know what that means.

Of course, if you have very dry skin, you’ll need to take care of your skin properly. Toner, serum and moisturizer will help to keep your skin hydrated and reduce breakouts. But what about when you have a particularly large pimple (or two) that’s really bothering you? You have an important meeting in the next couple of days and can’t afford to wait it out? Here are five (mostly) DIY tips:

1. Tea Tree Oil For Pimples Explained

Tea tree oil’s anti-bacterial properties work wonders against pimples.

The bacteria that’s causing those ugly spots doesn’t stand a chance against tea tree oil’s anti-bacterial properties.
Dab a cotton ball or Q-tip with tea tree essential oil on your pimple. Wait 15-20 minutes before rinsing your face, to reduce inflammation and redness.

If you have more time, leave on for a few hours or overnight, then rinse in the morning. It’s best not to use this remedy if you have sensitive skin. Otherwise, it’s a healthy, natural replacement for harsh drug store medications. If undiluted tea tree oil is too strong for your skin, you can also mix it with raw, organic honey or aloe vera. Which brings us to our next pimple treatment….

2. Aloe Vera For Pimples Explained

Aloe Vera gel.

It’s no secret that Aloe Vera is just about a magic potion. It’s anti-bacterial, which means it fights off the bacteria that are contributing to your pimples and reduces the redness. It’s anti-fungal, which reduces the inflammation. And it also contains a plethora of other essentials for fighting pimples: saponins, salicylic acid (found in many skincare products), anthraquinone (which can help to heal acne scars), and magnesium lactate.

To use Aloe Vera for your pimple, simply dab a dot of pure aloe vera gel onto the offending visitor after thoroughly washing your skin. Leave it to do its job until it dries – at least five minutes, or you can leave it overnight. Wash it off with slightly warm water when you’re done. You shouldn’t apply any moisturizer or makeup over the aloe vera, so you may want to do this at night.

3. Ice For Pimples Explained

Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best! Most people have ice readily available in their homes, and it can be used for your pimples, as well. While it won’t make them entirely disappear, it will reduce the size and life of your pimple.
Wrap a few ice cubes in a hand towel (or, for less mess, you can put them into a Ziploc bag, and wrap the bag in a towel) and press the towel against your pimple (never apply ice directly to your skin). Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you may only want to apply the pack for one minute, before giving your skin a break. If you can handle longer, that’s also okay, but don’t keep it on for more than 15 minutes as it can damage your skin.

4. Lemon Juice For Pimples Explained

Lemon juice is effective at drying out pimples.

Another household staple with anti-pimple benefits: lemon juice. Simply dip a cotton swab or Q-tip into fresh lemon juice until it’s thoroughly saturated. Wash your face, and then dab the swab/Q-tip onto your pimple. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes – overnight is best, if your skin can handle it – and then wash it off completely.

If your skin is sensitive, you may find it helpful to dilute the juice with an equal amount of water. You can also choose to mix it with a bit of organic honey. Either way, keep tabs on your skin: if it’s feeling irritated, turning red, or stinging, then don’t use it.

A couple of pointers: lemon juice is extremely drying (which is why it works!), so don’t use it all over your face – only on the actual pimple.

You know how people put lemon juice in their hair, and then go and sunbake, to achieve natural highlights? Yeah, for hair, that’s nice and all, but you don’t exactly want different colored patches of skin. Use lemon juice preferably at night, and wash off thoroughly when you’re done. Try to reduce your time in the sun, and be sun smart – wear a hat and sunblock to protect your skin. Also, if you have darker skin, it’s probably best to use another method for your pimples.

Okay, so you’ve heard the home remedies. But while these do work if you give them a bit of time, what happens if you wake up the morning before your wedding, or some other major event, with a huge ugly pimple? You need it gone fully – and fast.

5. Cortisone Injections For Pimples Explained

A cortisone injection is the quickest way to get rid of a pimple – but the last resort.

This is where you visit a dermatologist, who can inject a diluted corticosteroid that will cause your pimple to disappear in a matter of hours. It’s not something you can do at home, and it obviously isn’t the solution for every pimple you get (because, money; because, time; and because, it’s a shot), but if you need your pimple to disappear pronto, this is guaranteed to do it like nothing else will.

Every dermatologist will tell you that this is absolutely a last resort, and should not become the norm. It’s generally used for people who have tried every acne treatment out there to no avail, but in a real pinch, it can be an option.

Conclusion

Winter pimples need no longer make you blue (or red). When you feel a pimple coming on, simply try a home remedy and watch the redness and inflammation disappear. And if you have a big event tomorrow and an equally big zit, your dermatologist may offer the answer.

As they say though, prevention is better than cure, so make sure that you’re eating right, and taking care of your skin. Wash your face daily to avoid allowing bacteria to breed, use skincare products that work for your skin to keep it hydrated, and remove makeup at night to allow your skin to breathe.