Photo: Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images
When you can feel that zit coming on before you can see a red spot on your skin, you know you're in trouble. A big pimple can last a long time and -- unless you religiously use concealer daily -- will announce its presence everywhere you go. Ice can help shrink pimples, although it's best used in combination with other acne-fighting products.
What It Can Do
Because ice is cold, it helps your blood vessels constrict. What this means for your zit: A few minutes of icing can take some puff from the pimple so that mega-zit appears smaller. Ice for up to five minutes two to three times per day to take the swelling from your pimple so it appears to be fading fast.
What It Can't Do
Ice alone will not zap that zit. You'll need to do more to get rid of the pimple than simply icing it. Think of ice as one tool in your acne-busting arsenal. For inflamed pimples that lie under the skin or recurring pimples that keep coming to the same spot, ice will definitely soothe -- and smooth -- things over for you.
Need a Little Help?
If you've got a big blemish, clean your face with a salicylic acid cleanser, which helps clean out your pores, removing the oil and gunk that cause blemishes. After, apply a topical benzoyl peroxide product that will help your pimple go away. If you need more help than that, ask your dermatologist for a topical antibiotic that can help bust pimples fast. Nightly, use a sulfur or camphor drying cream, applying it after the topical antibiotic.
Tips
To help your skin the most, start icing a pimple the minute you feel it coming on, even if you can't see anything on your skin. Once your blemish is full-blown, apply the ice before you coat the spot with medicine. Ice can actually help make your skin more permeable, for an instant medication hit. Even if you do ice that zit and apply all the right products, you might be stuck with a spot for some time. Some pimples can last 10 to 12 days, and ice can help reduce that time, but it won't give you instant results.
