Waking up with an angry, painful zit on the tip of the nose is the last thing anyone wants. But just like you can't choose your parents (sorry!), you can't control whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin, and you can't stop yourself from getting pimples. The best you can do is manage how long they take to heal.

So how long does it take for a pimple to go away?

The short answer is that it will take anywhere from one day to three weeks for a pimple to heal. In many cases, a red bump will disappear entirely in just a few days—but it all depends on how your body responds to the underlying infection and how you treat it. A topical antimicrobial spray like Revitalizing Mist can speed healing and prevent the scarring and dark spots that pimples typically cause.

The Life Cycle of a Pimple

A pimple begins to form when the sebaceous gland in your skin produces too much sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that lubricates the skin, protects it from infection, and carries up dead skin cells so they can be washed away. The body produces sebum naturally and in small quantities.

Occasionally, the sebaceous gland produces more sebum than the body needs due to hormonal changes, environmental changes, and other factors. This excess oil clogs the skin's pore and traps dead skin cells and bacteria. The combination of trapped oil, skin cells, and bacteria can harden and create a white tip that sits on the skin's surface. If the clogged pore becomes infected, it can fill up with pus and show up as a big, sensitive pimple. Bigger infections can cause nodules and cysts, which sit deeper in the skin and tend to be painful and sore.

In most cases, the pimple heals naturally within a few days. Healing starts with the head becoming crusty and falling off. If the pimple was infected, the pus oozes out of the pore, and the follicle (the canal that leads to the pore) begins to heal. The skin may be left with scaly patches depending on the damage caused to the pores and surrounding tissues.

Why are Pimples So Stubborn?

If a pimple doesn't go away after a few days, there may be an underlying condition for which you need to see a dermatologist. There's also a chance that you are using the wrong products to treat the pimple or acne.

But more often than not, it is likely that you are aggravating the skin by scrubbing it too much, touching it with unclean hands, or popping your zits.

Touching the affected area, particularly with unwashed hands, transfers bacteria from your hands to your face and prolongs the life cycle of the pimple. Picking at your pimple also makes it worse. When you pop it and create an open wound, bacteria can enter the pore and cause further inflammation. Squeezing or pressing on blemishes can also push bacteria deeper into the skin and prolong or worsen the infection.

The Best Way To Get Rid Of a Pimple

Instead of poking or squeezing a zit, you can apply ice to reduce the swelling and ease the pain. Wash and dry your face, then wrap some ice in a clean cloth and hold it against the affected area for five to ten minutes. If you have a whitehead or a pimple with a pus-filled center, try using a warm compress to release the pus and speed up healing. Dip a clean washcloth in boiling water, wring it out, and hold it over the pimple for up to 15 minutes. Repeat a few times a day for a few days.

If you want quicker results, try our acne clearing product, Revitalizing Mist. It’s been tested and proven and leaves no side effects to worry about. Not only does it clear pimples, it also prevents them from invading your face and thwarting your self-confidence.

This product dries out pimples faster than the body does on its own, so much so that there are noticeable changes within a day. Note that home treatments and over-the-counter medications might not help when dealing with deep cystic breakouts. If you have had a zit for over a few weeks, your dermatologist might suggest acne surgery to cut and drain underlying cysts. No need for these complex procedures that may be a threat to your skin’s wellbeing. Even worse, they end up draining you financially while Revitalizing Mist is pocket-friendly. 

Getting Back Clear Skin

The dark spots a pimple leaves behind can take anywhere between 3 months and 2 years to completely disappear. But you don't have to wait around this long to get clear skin.

Our topical treatment contains hypochlorous acid as an active ingredient. This means it not only soothes inflammation and eases red, dry, and itchy skin patches but also prevents scarring and dark spots from forming. The body naturally creates hypochlorous acid to fight diseases and manage injuries, so products formulated with this molecule support the body's natural healing process. 

Keeping Pimples At Bay

The exact cause of pimples is still unknown, but there are a few things you can do to prevent them from coming back:

1. Avoid irritating drinks and foods. Some liquids, especially carbonated beverages and caffeinated coffee, can lead to acne by drying out your skin. Fries and other types of junk food, on the other hand, have been shown to boost sebum production and clog pores. When you get pimples, it is important to stop eating or drinking anything that might make them worse.

2. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser twice a day. Preferably, use an oil-free cleanser that won't clog pores. Exfoliate gently with a pumice stone or a washcloth once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and give your pores more room to breathe.

3. Use sunscreen every day. Protecting your skin from the sun will help prevent acne flare-ups and keep the spots on your face from worsening over time. Avoid using sunscreens containing retinyl palmitate and other ingredients of vitamin A. Studies have shown that these ingredients may speed up the development of lesions or worsen skin conditions.

4. Keep your sheets and pillowcases clean. Dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria often accumulate on sheets and pillowcases. Cleaning your bed linen regularly ensures this grime doesn't plug your pores and cause pimples.

5. Practice good skin hygiene. At a minimum, wash your face before you go to bed, use oil-free, non-comedogenic makeup products, and keep your makeup brushes clean. Avoid sharing anything you use on your face to limit the transfer of bacteria and other microorganisms.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, how long it takes for a pimple to go away depends on its cause and treatment. Small, uninflamed zits like blackheads can clear in a few days, but larger, pus-filled pimples like pustules and papules can take up to three weeks to heal. A variety of home remedies, over-the-counter products, and prescription medications can speed up these timelines.

How long it takes for a pimple to go away also depends on skin type and a person's genetic makeup. In this case, what you need is our anti-inflammatory spray, Revitalizing Mist, effective enough to keep acne under control without resorting to prescription medication.