How to Get Rid of Acne in 1 Day

Nobody wants to deal with an acne breakout, especially when you have a big day coming up tomorrow. With the right products and techniques, though, you can start clearing up last-minute blemishes as quickly as possible. While it's not usually possible to completely eliminate a breakout in 24 hours, you can do a lot to significantly reduce the size and redness of your pimples.

1. Call your dermatologist for a quick-fix cortisone shot. When celebrities get breakouts before a big event, they head straight to their dermatologists for this fast treatment. A needle is used to inject cortisone directly into the offending pimple(s), and it can substantially reduce or even eliminate blemishes within a day.

2. That said, you probably don’t have your
dermatologist on speed-dial and likely don’t want to pay big bucks for last-minute appointments and regular injections.

If cortisone isn’t in the cards for you, move on to an at-home plan of attack on your acne.

Clean your face thoroughly with an acne wash. In order to clear up acne, you need to start by giving your face a nice wash. Acne consists of bacteria that have invaded your pores, and the first step is to fight back with a gentle but effective acne wash.
Some people use a washcloth, but your hands are just as effective.

Mix the directed amount of acne wash with warm water, and gently rub it into your face in a circular motion.

Rinse your face with warm water, then pat it dry gently.

3. Pop pimples with “heads” at your own risk. Some experts say never to pop a pimple, while others think it’s okay to properly “extract” whitehead pimples when necessary. If you try to pop a pimple without a whitehead, you’ll almost certainly make it more noticeable.

You can pop the whitehead with your fingers, a towel, or a pin, but make sure the tool, your hands, and your pimple have been sterilized with rubbing alcohol first.

You can also shop online for a dedicated pimple “extraction tool” that pierces and lifts away whiteheads, but these may or may not work any better than a regular pin. If you do use one, follow the instructions and make sure to sterilize it.