How to treat blind pimples (and what causes them)

Ah, blind pimples: nobody (and we mean nobody) likes them. They’re unsightly, annoying, and honestly, just downright painful.

But they can also be fickle; the treatment process is different to that of a regular pimple and it’s easy to make errors that’ll actually make the problem (and the pain) even worse.

So if you want to know how to treat blind pimples the right way, read on; we’ve got all the blind pimple treatment tips you need to know…

What is a blind pimple?

A blind pimple is a painful lump deep within the skin that has no opening or head.
They often occur on areas such as the face, upper back or chest. Other common places to get blind pimples include in the ear and nose. Ouch, we know.

What causes blind pimples?

Blind pimples develop when our oil glands get blocked with excess sebum, leading to an inflammatory reaction. This then creates a painful deep red lump that often results in scarring.

The use of thick foundations, makeup, moisturisers and sunscreens can lead to the development of blind pimples. Squeezing blackheads and whiteheads can also cause these painful lesions, and they can also develop just before your period due to hormonal changes.

To avoid blemish-causing congestion, we advise wearing a lightweight foundation such as the Rimmel London Kind & Free Moisturising Skin Tint, $11.99 at Chemist Warehouse and trying an oil-free moisturiser like the QV Face Oil Free Moisturiser ($14.99 at Chemist Warehouse) to let your skin breathe.

Will a blind pimple go away by itself?

Unfortunately, no. A blind pimple is highly unlikely to go away by itself. Now, if you’re wondering how long they last, that’s a different story…

How do you fix a blind pimple?

Here’s exactly how to treat blind pimples. Never try to squeeze one as it will only worsen the surrounding inflammation and lead to long-term scarring. As soon as a blind pimple develops, apply an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory topical antibiotic, like Eryacne or ClindaTech.

If these are applied a few times a day, their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties will help heal the pimple more quickly.

Using products containing salicylic acid can also help. We recommend cleansing with a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser ($17.99 at Chemist Warehouse) and calming redness and inflammation with a spot treatment such as the Sukin Naturals Blemish Control Spot Banishing Gel ($16 at Sukin).


Main image credit: @brooklyndecker

Do you ever get blind pimples? How do you treat your blind pimples?