Why Overnight Pimple Solutions Does Not Work?

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    Pimples or acne, as we know them, are a skin lesion with an acute inflammation brought about by certain factors such as excessive sebum production, pollution, dirt, hormonal imbalance, puberty, stress, lifestyle changes to name a few. Pimples affect mostly growing teens or those in their early twenties but there are ample cases in adult and young kids where pimples have wreaked havoc.

    Data suggests that over 5% of adults are now sufferers of pimples. Now, there can be mild acne (blackheads and whiteheads) that usually disappears in a few days or weeks and then there is severe acne (pustule, papule, nodules, cysts) that refuses to go on its own even after months.

    Before we talk about its solutions, let us first understand how it occurs in the first place. Pimples or acne involves building of sebum, an oily substance (present in our skin) in the pores of our skin. This usually occurs due to the overproduction of sebum (natural body oil) by our skin’s sebaceous gland. They eventually become small, pus-filled or red spots which are called zits or pimples. These breakouts range from mild or moderate to severe and even widespread.

    If this happened with you, we are sure that you would have tried some home remedies or looked for solutions online or did self-medication because of the desperation to cure it. But have you ever considered the long-term effect of these temporary solutions or what we should rather call the side-effects? You may be surprised to know that these temporary solutions to cure pimples may do more harm than benefit.

    Don’t believe us? Well, let us make it clear to you by taking some examples –
    1. Say, for instance, you tried any random home remedy on a pimple by popping it out without consulting anyone. You might be hoping that it will cure your pimples overnight. But that’s never going to happen. The home remedies may have flattened area invaded by the pimples just temporarily. But it may have left scars and it can never really treat the root cause. Why? Because only certain medications that are meant to target a pimple and its type will help in treating it.

    2. Another popular belief is that applying toothpaste on the pimple helps in treating it overnight. Let us break the news by telling you that it doesn’t. You should be careful while following such home remedies. The fact is that many brands of toothpaste contain ingredients that may be harmful to the skin and may irritate the pimples even further. The result might be more pimples. So, beware! Do not blindly follow any home remedy or solution without first knowing the severity of acne or type of acne you are suffering from.

    3. A lot of people usually pop the pimples on their own. Never, ever do it! It is the worst idea and can exaggerate the breakouts. What’s worse than that is the unsightly scar that is left behind upon popping out the pimple. Popping the pimple not only damages the skin but also leads to more pimples. So even mild acne condition may lead to severe one if you pop a pimple. Our advice is – don’t make it worse by the old school methods, rather visit a dermatologist who can actually treat the condition with utmost efficacy. As you don’t want to have scars afterward that will take forever to heal.

    4. If you have a sensitive skin, never even attempt to treat a pimple with a temporary solution or home remedy. Self-medication can be the worst of all. The overnight solutions might mess with your skin further. People with sensitive skin should seek professional medical help from a qualified dermatologist. They will help you with the right treatment as per your skin type and suggest self-care tips accordingly.

    5. Unless you know the cause of pimples or acne, you can’t possibly heal it. Only a customized treatment works with certain types of pimples to heal them completely. A customized treatment targets the root cause of pimple with active ingredients and mitigates it so that it does not come back. On the other hand, an overnight solution may turn out to be risky and further aggravate the acne resulting in more pimples and scarring.

    There is never an overnight solution for pimples but a step by step process to treat them. That’s why it is advisable to see a skin specialist or dermatologist who can treat any type of acne from mild to severe. Our skin is a sensitive organ and needs special care in case of pimples or zits. As they say, ‘a little knowledge is dangerous”, so always keep in mind that there is no such thing like the overnight disappearance of pimples using home remedies.

    In most cases, temporary solutions do more harm than good and in some, they lead to widespread scarring or even more pimples. This is something that you never want to go through. Instead of seeking shortcuts, consult an experienced dermatologist who can understand the cause of acne and then suggest the treatment accordingly.

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    About The Author

    Kushneet Kukreja

    A postgraduate in Biotechnology from Kingston University and an ISSA Certified Specialist in Fitness & Nutrition, Kushneet Kukreja is a passionate writer who works in close association with the dermatologists at our head office to generate valuable and scientifically accurate content for our blog.