Treatments for Redness & Swelling of Acne

Dabbing a bit of toothpaste on your acne blemish may help reduce the redness and swelling overnight.tube toothpaste image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com

For anyone who has ever had to deal with a bright red acne blemish before an important event, like a wedding, party or job interview, there are few issues that can be as frustrating. Acne breakouts often lower self-esteem and make individuals feel embarrassed about their physical appearance. The redness and swelling associated with acne may be difficult to get rid of, but there are several treatments you can try to diminish their appearance and get you ready for your special event.

Ice

A simple way to treat the redness and swelling associated with acne is with an ice compress. Ice helps constrict the blood vessels in the area around the blemish, so fluid build up is decreased and the swelling becomes less noticeable. Wrap the ice in a clean face cloth or paper towel so it will not be too cold on the skin. Press it to the blemish in 10-minute intervals, then remove for several minutes before repeating. The swelling will go down and the redness will become less noticeable as well.

Aloe vera has long been used to treat burns and wounds because of its healing properties. It also works as an anti-inflammatory agent, so it is effective in reducing the redness and swelling associated with acne. Aloe vera gel works on acne, and can be applied twice daily to blemishes in order to speed up the healing process.

Toothpaste can help dramatically diminish the swelling and redness of acne overnight. It works almost like a clay absorbing mask, and removes excess oil as the blemish is dried out. To use toothpaste as an acne treatment, make sure you have the white paste type and not a gel-based formula. In addition, do not use whitening toothpaste because these products typically have a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide which may irritate the skin. Dab a small amount of the paste onto the blemish and leave on overnight. Placing a bandage over the spot helps prevent the toothpaste from staining your sheets and pillowcases.

Another homemade trick is to apply redness-reducing eye drops to diminish the red appearance of acne. The tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride that helps control redness and reduce inflammation in the eyes has a similar effect on the skin. Use a cotton swab to dab the eye drops on the blemish. Reapply throughout the day as needed.

If you have severe acne, such as cystic or nodular acne, it may be difficult to significantly reduce the redness and swelling in time for a special event at home. In that case, a visit to your dermatologist may be in order. Dermatologists can administer a cortisone injection into the blemish which immediately lessens the redness and swelling associated with acne. Cortisone is a steroid released naturally in the body to combat inflammation. Natural cortisone is slow acting, while injected cortisone works directly at the root of the issue. To minimize pain, dermatologists typically administer a local anesthetic to numb the area around the blemish before the injection.