How to make a pimple scab go away fast

Recently, although I am several decades past puberty, I have been getting these whiteheads on my cheek. They drive me crazy. So what do I do? I pick them. Then they turn into a little scab. Turns out that’s the worst thing you can do to keep them from healing. (Eew, even the word scab grosses me out.)

Pimple scabs are red and sore formations that form after popping a pimple. How do you heal scabs on pimples? Crusty scabs form, usually on wounds or cuts to help healing. After scratching and popping zits, dry crusty scabs form on the pimple’s head. They can keep scabbing over and over and come off too early, or even not heal or form scars. Recently, after a bit of research, I found out how to get rid of pimple scabs fast, overnight and naturally. There’s more than one way.

Tea Tree oil, warm compresses, honey, Aloe Vera, Vaseline, Neosporin and baking soda all work wonders in help to heal pimple scabs.

Tea Tree oil is used because of its antiseptic properties. It will prevent bacterial infections on cuts, wounds and scabs on the skin. Put a small amount of the oil on a cotton ball. Gently pat the scab with the oil two times a day to heal scabs overnight.

Warm compresses are another quick home remedy to make facial scabs from zits to disappear. Warm compresses are said to remove scabs overnight or in just a few hours. Why is that? The moisture from the compresses will soften the skin and loosen the scab. Here’s how to heal a pimple scab fast by doing warm compresses.

Take a clean washcloth. Dip it in warm water. The water should not be hot, otherwise you will burn your skin.

Apply the warm water compress on your pimple scabs to relieve the itch and loosen the scabs and crust. Do this for about 5 minutes, twice a day in order to get rid of pimple and acne scabs overnight or within hours.

Warm compresses are known to moisturize wounds, cuts and scabs from pimples and zits. They also increase blood supply on the skin surface around the pimples. This will make the healing process faster. Warm compresses are also part of the home remedies to stop popped pimple scab from swelling. (Gross!)

Aloe Vera is used for healing sunburns, cuts and even bruises. You can use it to get rid of pimple scabs fast. According to Natural Products Network, Aloe Vera gel helps soothe the discomfort and itch on the scabs from pimples. It will also prevent unsightly scars from forming after the acne spots.

Get Aloe Vera gel by squeezing the leaves. Apply a thick gel of Aloe Vera to the scabs on pimples.

Let is sit on your skin for a couple of hours. It is preferable that you leave it on your face overnight to heal acne scabs fast.

Other than treating scabs caused by pimples and acne zits, Aloe Vera is known for its skin lightening properties as well and will help you lighten the dark spots on your face, usually caused from the breakouts.

Scabbing over on a pimple can leave you with scars, dark spots and more blemishes on your face. It is recommended that when you pick or pop pimples, you should use Vaseline to seal them and help them heal faster.

Dry the crusty scabbed spots on your face after cleaning and patting dry. Apply a layer of Vaseline on the scab. This will keep it moist and protected from entry of infectious bacteria. Petroleum jelly also loosens pimple scabs to make them go away faster.

Baking soda is one of the most widely used home remedies for very many skin health problems. Acne scabs can be treated using baking soda paste. The reason for this is that baking soda is an ingredient that works as a fungicide as well as antiseptic.

When used on scabs, baking soda will tighten the scabs (making them loosen from the pimple wound). This draws it away from the wound, allowing it to fall off. Here’s how to use it.

Take a small amount of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and add it into a bowl or glass. Add a little amount of water and mix to make a consistent paste. Apply the paste on the pimple scabs to cover it completely. Repeat this daily until the scab falls off the pimple or acne zit by itself.

For infected pimple, Neosporin and Polysporin antibiotics cab help you treat it. Polysporin can also help as an over-the-counter treatment, but try to keep the pimples dry because that is what will accelerate the healing process.

Then a big whitehead practically begs you to be squeezed. And once you start examining all your pores up CLOSE in the mirror, of course you need to get those blackheads on your nose too. Oh, wait, another spot on your chin that you didn’t even notice before—that’s gotta go. No pore is safe now!

20 minutes later, you look up and there are now several very red, angry spots and one is even bleeding. Ugh. 

Step away from the mirror and back to clear, healthy skin with these dermatologist tips for what to do after picking a pimple.

So, what should you do if you've popped a pimple and made it worse?
"Well, you know what I'm going to say. Number one is to leave it alone," says dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee — also known as Dr. Pimple Popper. Try to keep your fingers off of it— keep it nice and clean.

What kind of cleanser should you use after picking your skin?
Dr. Lee recommends using salicylic acid cleanser on the infected area can help prevent new pimples from popping up. It might be tempting to try and scrub away any evidence of picking, but she says to avoid using harsh exfoliators (chemical or physical) on a scab or bleeding pimple — and always keep the area clean (avoid touching with dirty fingers or makeup brushes). "Don't pick a scab because this can pull of healthy skin cells that are growing underneath and can slow down the healing process and also it increases the risk of permanent scarring,” she adds.

Should you put anything on the picked spots?
If you feel like you need to do something to try to make it better quicker, Dr. Lee recommends using a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid like the SLMD Acne Spot Treatment from her skincare line. "A spot treatment can also help you keep your hands off it, prevent infection, and speed along the healing process."

If the pimple appears more swollen and painful after picking, should you ice it? How long?
(We don’t want to say told you so—but told you so. This is why you shouldn’t pick!). Apply a cold compress to the affected area for five minutes or so to reduce swelling, advises Dr. Lee. 

If it's more of an open wound (bleeding, etc.) than just a squeezed pimple, should you do anything different?
Again—if you’re picking your skin until it bleeds, STOP! "You can cause a pimple to get worse, and certainly increase risk of infection and scarring," says Dr. Lee. If you’re bleeding, she says to “gently blot the area with a clean tissue or cotton pad and clean the area with alcohol.” 

Once the blood has stopped, she advises applying a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as mentioned above. "Benzoyl peroxide is an antibacterial so it acts to help prevent bacteria from growing in the area," she explains. Most importantly, leave it alone and let it heal (have we said that enough yet?)

How long do acne scabs take to heal?

How do you get rid of scabs on your face overnight?

Do scabs heal faster dry or moist?