How to Make an Easy Clean Thanksgiving Table

The dinner takes all day. The cleanup shouldn't. This table uses sturdy decorative paper plates and paper napkins on top of a roll of kraft paper, so most of it folds up and goes straight into the recycling. It still looks like you planned it, because the colors match and every guest gets a name at their spot.

Time About 45 minutes
Skill Easy, good with kids

Before you start. Count the guests and buy a few extra plates and napkins. Check that the plates say heavy duty or soak proof on the package.

Paper on paper, with a jar of pumpkins in the middle.

What you'll need

A roll of brown kraft paper, a little longer than the table
Sturdy decorative paper plates in two sizes (dinner and dessert)
Paper napkins in a fall color
Twine or thin ribbon
A few mason jars or a wide glass vase
Small pumpkins, pinecones or dried leaves
A black marker and a white paint pen
Washi tape

How to make it

Roll out the runner. Lay the kraft paper down the middle of the table, or cover the whole top. Tape the ends under the table edge with washi tape so it doesn't slide.
Write the names. Write each guest's name on the paper at their seat with the marker. Kids love this job, and you skip separate place cards.
Stack the plates. Set a dinner plate at each seat with a dessert plate on top. Pick a heavy, coated paper plate so gravy doesn't soak through.
Fold the napkins. Fold each napkin into a long strip, wrap it with twine and tuck in a dried leaf or a short sprig of greenery. Set it on the plate.
Build the centerpiece. Fill the jars with small pumpkins, pinecones or a few stems from the yard. Group them in the middle and scatter a few leaves around them.
Clear in minutes. After dessert, pull the centerpiece off, stack the plates in the middle and roll the runner up with the crumbs inside. Recycle what your town accepts.

Make it your own

Use a white paper runner and let the kids draw a turkey border with crayons while dinner cooks.
Swap the jars for a long wooden board with candles in glass holders.

Care and storage. Keep the jars, twine and pinecones in one labeled box after the holiday.

A cool table, a hot kitchen and the host's skin

The table is the easy part. The kitchen behind it runs hot from early morning: the oven open every half hour, pots steaming, a host bent over the stove. By dinner, plenty of hosts have sweat at the hairline and flour on one cheek, and the paper table is the only cool spot in the house.

The American Academy of Dermatology says that sweat, once it mixes with skin oils and bacteria, can clog pores, and suggests blotting sweat with a clean towel (AAD, sweat and pores). Its acne tips add a face wash after you sweat, done gently with your fingertips (AAD acne tips).

Keep a clean towel by the stove just for your face.
Blot, don't wipe, between dishes.
Wash your face once after cooking, before guests arrive.

If a pimple shows up for dinner, see below for how to get rid of pimples without a scene.

The full guide, from howtogetridofpimples.org

How to Get Rid of Pimples

How to get rid of pimples: treat the skin and heal from the inside. Benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid on papules and pustules, adapalene on whiteheads and blackheads, dermatologists for nodules and cysts, plus steady blood sugar, sleep and stress.

On the skin

Don't pop
6 to 8 weeks
Gentle cleanser
Ice
Warm compress
Hydrocolloid patch
Adapalene 0.1%
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5 to 5%
Salicylic acid 2%

From the inside

Steady blood sugar
Omega-3 fats
Fiber for your gut
Sleep and stress

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · based on dermatology guidelines and clinical studies

How to get rid of pimples at a glance
Step	What to do	How long	Why it works
Find your type
1. Find your pimple type	The guide below or a face scan	1 minute	Each type needs a different ingredient
Fast at-home treatments
2. Ice it	A cold cloth for 3 to 5 minutes	Minutes	Shrinks swelling and redness
3. Spot treatment	Benzoyl peroxide 2.5 to 5% or salicylic acid 2%	1 to 3 days	Kills bacteria and clears the pore
4. Pimple patch	Hydrocolloid on an open spot	Overnight	Absorbs pus and keeps fingers off
5. Warm compress	10 to 15 minutes, three times a day	A few days	Brings a deep pimple to a head
6. Cover, don't squeeze	A green concealer over a dry spot	2 minutes	Most pimples settle in 3 to 7 days
Daily skincare routine
7. Wash gently	A gentle cleanser, twice a day	Daily	Less oil without stripping the skin
8. Adapalene at night	A pea-sized amount for the whole face	6 to 12 weeks	Stops pores from clogging
9. Moisturizer and sunscreen	Both oil-free and non-comedogenic	Daily	Protects the skin barrier and fades marks
10. Give it 6 to 8 weeks	One routine, no switching	2 to 3 months to clear	Every treatment needs time to work
Treat what's behind them
11. Find the cause	Heat, heaviness or irregularity	One read	The next pimple is made under the skin
12. Cool the heat	Swap heating foods, add omega-3	2-week tests	Calms inflammation
13. Steady your blood sugar	Protein first, a walk after meals	Weeks	Lowers insulin and oil
14. Settle stress, sleep and gut	Regular meals, fiber, a fixed bedtime	Weeks	Stress hormones drive the oil glands
Mistakes to avoid
15. Don't pop or pick	A patch instead	Every time	Prevents scars and dark spots
16. Skip scrubs and DIY hacks	No toothpaste, alcohol or lemon	Every time	They burn the skin barrier
17. One or two actives	No stacking of products	Every time	Irritated skin breaks out more
18. Keep things off your skin	Pillowcase weekly, a clean phone	Weekly	Less oil and friction on your cheeks
When home care isn't enough
19. See a dermatologist	For cysts, scars or no change	After 6 to 8 weeks	Prescription treatment works deeper
20. Keep going	A lighter routine once clear	Ongoing	Stopping brings pimples back

How to get rid of pimples in 20 steps

Start with your type, treat the spots you have, build a routine that stops new ones, fix what's causing them, avoid what makes them worse, and know when to hand it to a dermatologist.

01
Find out your pimple type with a guide or a face scan

Takes
1 minute with the guide below
Why first
Each type needs a different ingredient
A pimple is a clogged hair follicle (a pore) that fills with sebum, dead skin cells and Cutibacterium acnes bacteria, and often becomes inflamed. Pimples are the spots of acne vulgaris, and they come in six types. The type decides how to get rid of pimples: a retinoid for clogged comedones, benzoyl peroxide for red, inflamed spots, and a dermatologist early for deep nodules and cysts. Treat the wrong type and you can wait 8 weeks for nothing.

Tap the one that looks like yours:
- Whitehead
- Blackhead
- Papule
- Pustule
- Nodule
- Cyst
Whiteheads
Closed comedone
A pore clogged with oil and dead skin that closed over: a tiny white or skin-colored bump.Adapalene at night plus a salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide wash.

Blackheads
Open comedone
A clogged pore that stays open. The dark dot is oil that darkens in the air, not dirt, so scrubbing won't remove it.Adapalene and salicylic acid; skip pore strips and scrubs.

Papules
Inflamed, no head
Small, red, hard bumps that feel sore. Many together can feel like sandpaper.Benzoyl peroxide wash or gel; ice for the swelling.

Pustules
Inflamed, white center
A papule with a white or yellow center of pus. The kind people most want to pop.Benzoyl peroxide; a hydrocolloid patch once it opens. Don't squeeze.

Nodules
Deep, hard lump
Hard, painful lumps deep under the skin that last weeks and often scar.Warm compress, then a dermatologist early.

Cysts
Deep, filled sac
Soft, painful, fluid-filled lumps you may feel more than see. A sore lump that never forms a head may be cystic acne.See a dermatologist early: fewer scars.

Not every bump is a pimple. Rosacea causes redness and small bumps without any blackheads or whiteheads. Folliculitis shows up as itchy, same-sized bumps around hairs, often after shaving. Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) is itchy and doesn't respond to acne products. A boil is a single, very painful infected lump that grows for days.

Several types at once, or not sure what's behind them? A mirror can't tell clogged pores from a hormonal flare-up, and that is where a face scan helps.
Fast at-home treatments

Ice a red, swollen pimple

Takes
3 to 5 minutes
Works on
Papules, pustules, swelling

Wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth and hold it on the pimple for 3 to 5 minutes. Cold narrows the blood vessels, so the bump looks flatter and less red within minutes. Take a 10-minute break before you repeat it. It's the closest thing to an instant fix.

Dab on benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid

Takes: 1 to 3 days for one spot
Strength: Benzoyl peroxide 2.5 to 5%, salicylic acid 2%

An over-the-counter pimple treatment is an acne product you can buy without a prescription. Put a thin layer on clean, dry skin. Benzoyl peroxide kills the acne bacteria and calms inflammation; salicylic acid clears oil and dead skin inside the pore. Higher isn't better: benzoyl peroxide 2.5% clears pimples about as well as 10%, with less dryness and peeling.

Pimple treatments you can buy without a prescription
Ingredient	What it does	Best for	Strength	How to use it
Benzoyl peroxide	Kills acne bacteria and calms inflammation; bacteria don't become resistant to it	Red papules and pustules	2.5 to 10%; start at 2.5 to 5%	As a short-contact wash, rinse it off after 2 to 5 minutes. It bleaches towels and pillowcases, so use white ones.
Salicylic acid	Dissolves oil and dead skin inside the pore	Blackheads, whiteheads, oily skin	0.5 to 2%	Wash or leave-on, once or twice a day
Adapalene	A retinoid: speeds up skin turnover so pores don't clog	Comedones, and stopping new pimples	0.1% gel without a prescription	A pea-sized amount for the whole face at night, every other night at first
Azelaic acid	Kills bacteria, unclogs pores and fades dark spots	Pimples plus dark marks; pregnancy	10% without, 15 to 20% with a prescription	Twice a day; mild tingling at first
Sulfur	Dries the surface and absorbs oil	Sensitive skin, single spots	3 to 10%	As a spot treatment or mask; it smells
Tea tree oil	Mild antibacterial plant oil	Mild spots if you want a plant option	5% gel	Works slower than benzoyl peroxide; never undiluted

For a single spot, an acne spot treatment dabbed only on that pimple keeps the rest of your face calm.

Put a hydrocolloid patch on an open pimple

Takes
Overnight
Works on
Pustules and whiteheads that have opened

A hydrocolloid pimple patch absorbs fluid and pus overnight, protects the spot and keeps your fingers off it. On a deep spot with no head a plain patch does little; microneedle patches are made for those early bumps.
Use a warm compress on a deep, painful pimple

Takes
10 to 15 minutes, three times a day
Works on
Nodules, cysts, blind pimples

Hold a clean, warm, damp washcloth on the lump. Warmth helps the pimple come to a head on its own; then a thin layer of one acne product helps. A big cyst before an event? A dermatologist can inject cortisone, which often shrinks it within a few days.
Cover it instead of squeezing it

Takes
2 minutes
Lasts
Most pimples settle in 3 to 7 days

Need to go out? A green color-correcting concealer over a dry spot hides the red. Pat, don't rub, and wash it off at night. Left alone, most whiteheads and pustules go in 3 to 7 days.

Daily skincare routine

Wash gently twice a day

When: Morning, evening and after sweating
Use: A gentle cleanser and your fingertips

A daily acne routine is the same short set of steps every morning and evening. It treats the pores before pimples form, which is how to get rid of pimples that keep coming back.

Washing more often strips the skin and makes it oilier, and scrubbing tears inflamed spots. Shower soon after a workout. Know your skin type: oily skin handles gels and benzoyl peroxide washes, dry or sensitive skin does better with a cream cleanser.

A simple morning and evening routine for pimples
Step	Morning	Evening
1. Cleanse	Gentle cleanser or a benzoyl peroxide wash, with your fingertips	Gentle cleanser; remove all makeup and sunscreen
2. Treat	Salicylic acid or azelaic acid, if you use one	Adapalene, a pea-sized amount for the whole face
3. Moisturize	Oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer	The same moisturizer, after the adapalene dries
4. Protect	Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, oil-free	Nothing else; sleep on a clean pillowcase

Use adapalene at night to stop new pimples

Strength
Adapalene 0.1% gel
Amount
A pea-sized amount for the whole face

Adapalene is a retinoid: it speeds up skin turnover so pores don't clog in the first place. Spread it over the whole area where pimples appear, not just on today's spot, every other night at first. It can cause purging: more small pimples in the first 2 to 4 weeks as clogged pores surface. That settles; a breakout that spreads to new areas or lasts beyond 6 weeks is a reaction, not purging.
Moisturize and wear sunscreen, both oil-free

Look for
"Non-comedogenic", "oil-free", SPF 30+
Also
Oil-free makeup, clean brushes

Acne products dry the skin, and dry skin breaks out more, so moisturize even if you're oily. Sun darkens acne marks: use a broad-spectrum oil-free sunscreen instead of tanning. Choose makeup labeled "won't clog pores", never sleep in it, and clean your brushes weekly.
Give one routine 6 to 8 weeks

Improves
4 to 6 weeks
Clear
2 to 3 months

Getting rid of pimples takes 6 to 8 weeks for one treatment to show its effect, and 2 to 3 months for skin to clear. Switching every few days resets the clock; the week-by-week timeline follows below the steps.

Treat what's behind them

Look past the spot to what's causing it

Lens: Ayurveda, read through science
Drivers: Inflammation, blood sugar, stress and the gut

Everything above treats the pimple. The next one is made under the skin, by inflammation, blood sugar, stress hormones and digestion. Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine, described this pattern centuries ago: the classical text Sushruta Samhita calls pimples yuvan pidika, "eruptions of youth", and reads them as an imbalance in the body, not a skin problem alone. Research now gives each of its three readings a measurable mechanism.

Ayurveda's view of pimples, translated into science
Ayurveda reads it as	What science measures	How it shows on your skin
Too much heat (Pitta)	Inflammation, histamine and flushing	Red, sore, inflamed papules and pustules
Heaviness and congestion (Kapha)	Insulin, IGF-1 and oil production	Oily skin, blackheads, deep clogged spots
Irregularity and dryness (Vata)	Stress hormones, short sleep, a weak skin barrier	Dry, reactive skin that flares under stress

Most people have one or two of these, not all three, and that is why the same diet clears one person's skin and does nothing for another's.

Cool the heat to calm red, inflamed pimples

Ayurveda
Excess heat (Pitta)
Science
Inflammation

In Ayurveda, sour, hot and sharp foods and habits stoke heat: chili, alcohol, very hot showers and saunas, and hard workouts in the midday sun. Science backs part of that. Capsaicin and alcohol widen blood vessels, and histamine-rich foods are known flushing triggers in rosacea; for acne the link is plausible but less studied, so treat each one as a personal test, not a rule.

The hidden ones are often "healthy": daily strawberries, orange juice, tomato sauce or kombucha are sour and heating in Ayurveda and high in acid or histamine, which may add redness to skin that already runs hot. Swap one at a time for two weeks and watch your skin. What cools it: lukewarm showers, exercise in the cooler hours, and oily fish twice a week, since omega-3 fatty acids reduced inflamed acne lesions in a 10-week trial.
13
Steady your blood sugar to slow oily, clogged skin

Ayurveda
Heaviness (Kapha)
Science
Insulin and IGF-1
Ayurveda links oily, congested skin to heavy, sweet and late food. In science terms, fast carbs and sugary drinks spike insulin and IGF-1, hormones that raise oil production and androgen activity in the skin. In a 12-week trial in young men, a low-glycemic diet cut acne lesions more than a usual diet did, and milk, skim milk in particular, is linked to acne in large cohort studies.

You don't need to give up carbs or dairy. Change how you eat them:
- Eat vegetables or protein first, carbs last: it softens the blood-sugar spike.
- Walk for 10 minutes after your biggest meal.
- Have sweets with a meal, never alone on an empty stomach.
- Eat a lighter dinner, earlier in the evening.
- Suspect milk? Leave it out for 4 weeks, then bring it back and watch your skin.
Settle stress, sleep and your gut

Ayurveda
Irregularity (Vata), digestive fire (agni)
Science
Cortisol, the gut-skin axis

Ayurveda puts digestion, agni, at the center: irregular meals, eating on the run and late nights weaken it, and the skin shows it. Science points the same way. Stress hormones act directly on the oil glands, and in students acne worsened during exams in step with their stress. Short sleep is linked to more acne, and the gut-skin axis, how gut bacteria influence inflammation in the skin, is an active field of research.

So eat at regular times and sit down for meals, get fiber every day (oats, lentils, cooked vegetables) to feed your gut bacteria, and keep a fixed bedtime. Hormones play in too: androgens rise in puberty and before a menstrual period, so pimples along the chin and jawline that flare each month are often hormonal.

Which of these drives your skin is personal. A face scan with a short quiz can work out your top cause and build a routine around it.
Mistakes to avoid

Don't pop or pick

Risk
Scars and dark spots
Instead
A patch and patience

Squeezing pushes bacteria deeper, adds swelling and slows healing, and it is the main cause of acne scars and dark spots. Resting your chin on your hand or picking at spots spreads oil and irritation too. Pimples aren't contagious, but picking spreads the damage on your own skin.

Skip harsh scrubs and DIY hacks

Skip: Scrubs, toothpaste, alcohol, lemon
Worth a try: Tea tree oil 5%, green tea

A natural pimple remedy is a home or plant treatment used instead of an acne medicine. Most have little evidence and some burn the skin. Sugar and salt scrubs tear inflamed skin, and dirt doesn't cause pimples, so washing harder won't help. Clay face masks absorb oil for a day; once or twice a week is fine.

Natural pimple remedies: what the evidence says
Remedy	Verdict	Why
Tea tree oil 5%	Some evidence	In a trial it reduced pimples like benzoyl peroxide 5%, more slowly but with less dryness.
Green tea extract	Some evidence	A 2% green tea lotion lowered mild acne in small studies.
Aloe vera	Soothes	Calms dry, irritated skin from acne products; doesn't clear pimples alone.
Honey	Weak	A trial of medical-grade honey found no clear benefit over soap.
Witch hazel	Weak	An astringent that tightens skin briefly; alcohol versions dry it out.
Apple cider vinegar	Skip	Acidic enough to burn the skin when used undiluted.
Toothpaste	Myth	Irritates and can burn; any drying effect is outweighed by redness.
Lemon juice, rubbing alcohol	Myth	Strip and burn the skin, and lemon can cause dark patches in the sun.

Don't stack five products

Rule
One or two actives
Skip
Alcohol toners

Three actives at once burn the skin barrier, and irritated skin breaks out more. Pick one or two from the table in step 3 and stay with them. Alcohol toners dry the surface and make skin produce more oil; look for "alcohol-free".
Keep pillowcases, phones and hair products off your skin

Change
Pillowcase weekly, phone screen daily
Also
Masks, helmets, hair products

Pillowcases and phones
Change your pillowcase at least weekly and wipe your phone screen. Both press oil and bacteria against your cheeks.

Touching your face
Resting your chin on your hand or picking at spots spreads oil and irritates skin.

Masks, helmets and straps
Friction and trapped sweat cause acne mechanica, sometimes called maskne. Wash fabric masks after each wear and cleanse after taking gear off.

Water
Drink water and stay hydrated because it's good for you, but there's no good evidence it clears pimples by itself.

Sun
A tan can hide redness for a while, but sun darkens acne marks. Use an oil-free sunscreen instead.

Hair products: oils and pomades cause pimples along the forehead and hairline, so keep them off your face. Shave with a sharp blade in the direction of the hair to avoid irritated bumps.
When home care isn't enough

See a dermatologist for deep, scarring or stubborn acne

Go if
Cysts, scars, or no change after 6 to 8 weeks
You get
Prescription treatment

A dermatologist is a doctor who treats skin, including acne that home care can't clear. Go if you have painful lumps under the skin (nodules or cysts), scarring, no change after 6 to 8 weeks of products you bought yourself, acne that hurts your mood or confidence, or pimples that started suddenly in adulthood with other symptoms like irregular periods.
Keep going after your skin clears

Keep
Adapalene a few nights a week
Fades
Dark spots, over months

An acne mark is a flat red or dark spot left behind after a pimple heals; an acne scar is a change in the skin's surface. Marks fade on their own over months, faster with sunscreen and azelaic acid or adapalene. Scars, which are dented or raised, need in-office treatment such as lasers or chemical peels.
To prevent pimples from coming back, keep using a lighter routine after your skin clears: adapalene a few nights a week, a gentle cleanser and oil-free products. Stopping everything is the most common reason clear skin doesn't stay clear.

How long it takes to get rid of pimples

Getting rid of pimples takes 6 to 8 weeks for one treatment to show its effect, and 2 to 3 months for skin to clear. A single pimple is faster: most whiteheads and pustules go in 3 to 7 days, while nodules and cysts last weeks.

Week 1 to 2Skin may feel dry or sting. Use the product every other night and moisturize.
Week 2 to 4With adapalene, a short wave of purging is common. Don't stop.
Week 4 to 6Fewer new pimples. Red spots fade faster.
Week 6 to 8The point to judge: no change means a different product or a dermatologist.
Month 3 and afterMost skin is much clearer. Keep the routine to stay that way.

When to see a dermatologist

See a dermatologist for painful nodules or cysts, scarring, or no change after 6 to 8 weeks of over-the-counter products. Here is what they can add.

What a dermatologist can prescribe for pimples
Treatment	What it is	For
Tretinoin, stronger retinoids	Prescription vitamin A creams	Comedones and inflamed pimples
Topical antibiotics	Clindamycin, always combined with benzoyl peroxide so bacteria don't resist it	Red, inflamed pimples
Oral antibiotics	Doxycycline or minocycline, for a few months	Moderate to severe acne
Birth control pills, spironolactone	Hormonal treatments that lower oil production	Hormonal acne in women
Isotretinoin	A strong oral retinoid; not allowed in pregnancy	Severe nodular acne, or acne that keeps scarring
Cortisone injection, extraction	An injection that shrinks one cyst; sterile drainage of a large spot	A single big, painful pimple
Chemical peels, laser, light therapy	In-office procedures, often blue light or a laser	Stubborn acne and acne scars

Mild, moderate or severe: Mild acne is mostly whiteheads and blackheads with a few papules. Moderate acne adds many papules and pustules. Severe acne means nodules and cysts. Dermatologists grade it on a 0 to 4 scale.
Pregnancy: Retinoids, isotretinoin and some antibiotics are off the table. Azelaic acid is the option doctors most often suggest; ask before you use anything.
Darker skin: Pimples in skin of color often leave dark spots (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) that outlast the pimple. Treat early, use sunscreen, and favor azelaic acid or adapalene.
Back and chest: Body acne gets the same treatment: a benzoyl peroxide wash in the shower, left on for a few minutes, then rinsed.

Reader questions

Straight answers to what people ask most.

How do you get rid of a pimple overnight?

Honestly, you can't make one disappear by morning. What gets you closest: ice for the swelling, a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide, a pimple patch on an open spot, and hands off.

For the full routine by type of spot, see our page on how to get rid of a pimple overnight.

Do pimples heal faster popped or unpopped?

Unpopped. Popping makes the spot take longer to clear and raises your risk of scars and dark spots.

Do pimples go away naturally?

Most single pimples do, in 3 to 7 days. Acne that keeps making new pimples usually doesn't stop on its own until you treat the pores.

What naturally kills pimples?

Tea tree oil 5% has the best evidence of the natural options, but it's slower than benzoyl peroxide. Toothpaste, lemon and vinegar do more harm than good.

What is the best tablet for pimples on the face?

There's no tablet you can buy that clears pimples. Doctors prescribe doxycycline, birth control pills, spironolactone or isotretinoin depending on your acne, so that's a dermatologist visit.

How do you get 100% clear skin?

Clear enough that you stop thinking about it is realistic: one routine, 2 to 3 months, then keep going. Expect the odd pimple now and then; that's normal skin.

What is the #1 cause of acne?

Clogged pores. Extra oil and dead skin cells block a pore, and bacteria grow in it. Hormones, genes and stress make it more likely.

Are pimples contagious?

No. You can't catch pimples from someone or spread them by touching, though picking spreads irritation on your own skin.

Sources

American Academy of Dermatology. Acne: diagnosis and treatment; tips for clearer skin; how to treat deep, painful pimples; acne in skin of color.
Reynolds RV et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2024.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Acne: diagnosis, treatment and steps to take.
MedlinePlus. Benzoyl peroxide topical; salicylic acid topical; adapalene topical.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Topical acne drug products for over-the-counter human use (monograph).
Mills OH et al. Comparing 2.5%, 5%, and 10% benzoyl peroxide on inflammatory acne vulgaris. International Journal of Dermatology, 1986.
Bassett IB et al. A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne. Medical Journal of Australia, 1990.
Semprini A et al. Kanuka honey versus antibacterial soap for acne: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 2016.
Burris J et al. Acne: the role of medical nutrition therapy. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013.
Smith RN et al. A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.
Adebamowo CA et al. High school dietary dairy intake and teenage acne. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2005.
Jung JY et al. Effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid and gamma-linolenic acid on acne vulgaris: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 2014.
Chiu A et al. The response of skin disease to stress: changes in the severity of acne vulgaris as affected by examination stress. Archives of Dermatology, 2003.
Buffey AJ et al. The acute effects of interrupting prolonged sitting time in adults with standing and light-intensity walking on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health. Sports Medicine, 2022.
Salem I et al. The gut microbiome as a major regulator of the gut-skin axis. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018.
Sushruta Samhita, Nidana Sthana 13 (Kshudra Roga): yuvan pidika. Classical Ayurvedic text.

Last reviewed October 27, 2026

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. See a dermatologist if you have painful lumps (nodules or cysts), scarring, no change after 6 to 8 weeks, or if acne affects your mood.

What you'll need

How to make it

Make it your own

A cool table, a hot kitchen and the host's skin

How to Get Rid of Pimples

How to get rid of pimples in 20 steps

Find out your pimple type with a guide or a face scan

Ice a red, swollen pimple

Dab on benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid

Put a hydrocolloid patch on an open pimple

Use a warm compress on a deep, painful pimple

Cover it instead of squeezing it

Wash gently twice a day

Use adapalene at night to stop new pimples

Moisturize and wear sunscreen, both oil-free

Give one routine 6 to 8 weeks

Look past the spot to what's causing it

Cool the heat to calm red, inflamed pimples

Steady your blood sugar to slow oily, clogged skin

Settle stress, sleep and your gut

Don't pop or pick

Skip harsh scrubs and DIY hacks

Don't stack five products

Keep pillowcases, phones and hair products off your skin

See a dermatologist for deep, scarring or stubborn acne

Keep going after your skin clears

How long it takes to get rid of pimples

When to see a dermatologist

Reader questions

Sources