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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Oh, zit

Sometimes it happens- a huge pimple shows up. Usually at the most inconvenient times- right before a big, important event filled with a million people.

So what to do? The best and quickest solution is to see a derm, stat. She/he can inject the pimple with cortisone, which reduces inflammation and shrinks it down quickly. If there is infection present, the area may need to be opened and drained and/or antibiotics may be given.

At home, warm compresses and salicylic acid creams can help. Applying a mild hydrocortisone cream helps, too- but generally, hydrocortisone causes acne, so should not be used regularly on the face.

Most importantly, no picking or squeezing. This can cause infection and scarring. Best to leave the zit zapping to the skin experts: the dermatologist.