Everyone who has acne is looking for quick and easy ways to get rid of it. And many people ask this question - can you treat pimples with toothpaste?. Surprisingly, there is no clear answer to this question.
On the Internet you can find many reviews from those who have used this treatment, and no matter how strange it may sound, many write that, indeed, toothpaste actually helps against acne.
At the same time, there are other stories, and here people write that this remedy not only did not help, but caused even more rashes.
Is it possible to apply toothpaste to acne at night?
Before using toothpaste, the skin must be prepared. To do this, you need to wash your face using foam or gel wash. Then dry the skin and apply toothpaste to it.
It is advisable to do this pointwise, that is, only on the pimple itself, and not affect healthy skin. When the paste dries, you can go to bed. What happens if you go to bed with toothpaste on your face? It will help relieve redness and swelling, and in the morning the pimple will become noticeably smaller in size.
It should be remembered that only a certain paste can be used to treat acne, or rather, only three types. This:
- Mint.
- With herbal extracts.
- With oak bark.
What happens if you put baby toothpaste on a pimple?
Such treatment will not bring any benefit, since this type of oral hygiene product does not contain the ingredients that would help get rid of acne.
In the morning, after applying it overnight, the paste should be washed off. This can be done with plain water, but it is better to use herbal infusions. Ideally, it is chamomile, sage, thyme or mint. Moreover, acne can be treated with this method on the back, buttocks, chin and other parts of the body.
Properties
Advice about applying this personal care product to the face has existed almost since the advent of enamel powder. But does toothpaste help with acne? Yes, this is undoubtedly true. It mainly affects the source of inflammation, destroying harmful microbes and normalizing the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
Toothpaste for acne
Beneficial features:
- Antibacterial effect. You can apply the paste not only to pimples, but also to blackheads, comedones, and mosquito bites;
- Drying effect. Thanks to the active substances in its composition, this product perfectly dries oily and combination skin;
- Whitening property. If you want to not only get rid of acne, but also the marks after it, then toothpaste will help here too. It contains powders of calcium, fluoride and other minerals that lighten the epidermis and eliminate redness.
Subcutaneous acne and deep acne
You can remove subcutaneous pimples and deep blackheads quite quickly using a mixture of toothpaste and salicylic acid, or with the addition of zinc paste.
Using this mask will quickly relieve inflammation and will also have a pronounced antibacterial effect. To prepare the mask, you will need a teaspoon of salicylic acid, as well as a two-pea sized amount of toothpaste.
Mix all components and apply only to the site of inflammation. It is advisable to make this mask at night and wash it off in the morning with any herbal decoction.
If you use just zinc paste instead of salicylic-zinc paste, you will have to wait longer for the results.
Allergy test
Before using toothpaste to treat your face against comedones, you should test for allergic reactions. To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the skin of the wrist or elbow and leave for 10-15 minutes. If during this time the epidermis does not turn red and does not show negative symptoms, the product can be used. Otherwise, you should refuse processing.
Source
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Contraindications
Surprisingly, this simple and accessible method also has its contraindications. So, for example, the answer to the question whether it is possible to smear pimples with toothpaste of 3 colors will be negative. Only the most common white toothpaste is suitable for treatment. Moreover, helium is also not recommended.
Sensitive, dry and delicate skin should be considered an important contraindication for use. In this case, it is better to refuse such treatment, as you can get very severe peeling of the skin.
And most importantly, toothpaste should only be applied to the pimple or acne itself, but in no case to healthy skin. In this case, you can get not only such an unpleasant phenomenon as tingling, but also severe dry skin.
Now you know exactly why you should smear pimples and blackheads with toothpaste. However, before using such advice, it does not hurt to consult a specialist.
Author - Anna Mikhailova, dermatologist-cosmetologist of the first category, specialist at the Academy of Scientific Beauty. Especially for the site “Treating Acne”.
What pastes are suitable for fighting acne?
You should choose a paste for applying to your face according to certain rules:
- Peppermint toothpaste is ideal for use on acne. You need to choose a white product, without including multi-colored stripes. The reason lies in the fact that white pastes contain drying ingredients - soda, triclosan, hydrogen peroxide. Colored parts may contain ingredients that irritate the skin (dyes, fragrances).
- Avoid bleaching pastes that contain special enamel-lightening agents that can cause burns and scarring. Dark-skinned people should especially beware of them, because a stronger reaction occurs.
- Transparent gels for brushing teeth are not suitable because they have a different composition and a lower concentration of agents that can dry out acne.
- The product should contain a minimum of fluoride, which is added to get rid of plaque and prevent gum disease. Most people are allergic to fluoride, so it can cause dermatitis when applied to the skin.
- It is better to buy organic pastes that do not contain fluoride, pesticides, or harmful growth hormones. They have added components that are beneficial for the skin - baking soda, aloe and myrrh extracts, tea tree and eucalyptus oils.
We recommend reading: Anti-cellulite massage at home
How to smear pimples: instructions
The effectiveness of this method of treating acne will be increased by following simple instructions:
- You need to first clean and prepare the skin: remove makeup with a special product, wipe your face with a cotton pad with cleansing lotion.
- Toothpaste is carefully applied using a small cotton swab only to the site of inflammation, avoiding its contact with healthy areas. Do not use for the area around the eyes.
- The product is left on the face for 40-60 minutes, then gently rinsed off in warm water using soft circular movements with your fingers or a soft sponge.
- The final stage is to carefully pat your face with a towel or napkin. If after the procedure the skin feels dry and tight, it is recommended to apply a light moisturizer.
If necessary, the procedure can be repeated after 2-3 hours.
Which toothpaste to use to treat acne
The effect of the method under consideration will also be determined by how correctly the paste was chosen, because not every composition can be safely used for the skin. The first criterion is the classic white color; it is better not to use gel or colored formulations, as they contain more chemical components, which means there is a higher risk of a negative skin reaction. Menthol in the composition should also be avoided, since this component is quite aggressive for the skin, and keeping it on the face will be accompanied by severe unpleasant sensations. The whitening effect is also prohibited, since redness and irritation in this case are practically guaranteed.
The most effective and safest is a paste with natural additives, for example, with chamomile extract, oak bark, etc. It is also worth paying attention to the price criterion - in most cases it is better to give preference to inexpensive paste options, since products from a high price category almost always contain whitening components and an extensive list of ingredients. Based on these tips, you can choose an effective composition, but it is still worth remembering that each person’s skin is individual, which means that the reaction even to a properly selected product can be negative.
Is it true that toothpaste can help with acne?
If you want to experiment with treating acne with toothpaste, you need to listen to the experiences of other people. More often, girls use such advice, due to their greater inclination to take care of their appearance. Some of them talk about this product as an indispensable “helper” that regularly saves in case of sudden inflammation of the skin. But if the cause of the dermatological problem lies in internal endocrine or metabolic disorders, a dental care product will not prevent the recurrence of pimples.
There are also absolutely skeptical views on such procedures. Some people believe that eliminating pimples with paste is successful due to the placebo effect - self-hypnosis.
Thanks to what components does the paste remove acne?
Toothpaste helps fight acne on the face thanks to its specific composition. Almost all dental care products contain:
- Chemical components that have an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect: chlorhexidine, mexidol, bisabolol, triclosan, hydrogen peroxide. Of these ingredients, you need to be careful with triclosan and hydrogen peroxide, as they can actually clear up infection and inflammation, but are potent and can harm the skin.
- Raw materials of medicinal plants – chamomile, oak, sage extract. These components remove inflammation gently, without having an aggressive effect on living tissue. Moreover, they can accelerate cell regeneration.
Mask with tooth powder and streptocide
Another very popular recipe is the so-called dental mask, for the preparation of which tooth powder and streptocide tablets are used. The proportions are as follows: per teaspoon of dental product - 3 crushed tablets of the medication, which will allow you to get approximately equal quantities. The composition needs to be given the consistency of a mask, and therefore a little water or calendula decoction is added to it to obtain a creamy structure. In this form, the folk remedy can be applied to the face and it will be very simple to do. The exposure time is a third of an hour, but if intense discomfort occurs, you need to wash it off earlier. Use warm water to remove the mixture.
The big advantage of such a mask is its versatility, that is, it can be used not only on the face, and in addition to fighting acne, it will help remove excess oil from the face as a whole and become, in some way, a prevention of the appearance of new inflammations.
Salt and toothpaste
Toothpaste combined with salt is another effective remedy for blackheads. Salt effectively cleanses and disinfects pores, and also helps retain moisture in the skin.
To prepare the cleanser, salt (regular or sea) and toothpaste are taken in equal quantities and mixed until smooth. If it turns out too thick, you can add a few drops of water and stir well.
- The face, cleansed of cosmetics, is steamed over a container of hot water.
- The mixture of salt and toothpaste is applied with massaging movements to the skin, avoiding contact with the area around the eyes, and left for 5-10 minutes.
- The mask is washed off with water using a soft sponge or napkin.
- At the end, it is recommended to apply a moisturizing or nourishing cream suitable for your skin type.
This type of cleaning can be done up to 2 times a week.
Reviews
Ida
I read reviews on the Internet about how toothpaste applied to pimples at night helps get rid of them. I decided to take a risk and try it. Excellent result. The skin around it is, of course, a little dry, but that’s not a problem.
Expert's comment: After this procedure, simply use a moisturizer.
Alice
I periodically use this extreme method, it is very effective. I noticed that different pastes act differently - some dry more, others less.
Expert's comment: Naturally, the pastes have different compositions. The ideal option is a white paste with herbal extracts.
Natalia
I use a mask of aspirin, toothpaste and lemon juice. The effect is amazing, the skin simply glows after this. And now the question is: is it possible to apply toothpaste to acne on the back or acne on the chest?
Expert's comment: Of course, if the skin on the face accepts toothpaste normally, then the skin on the body will react normally.
Terms of use
Toothpaste helps against acne only to a certain extent and if used correctly and rationally. At the initial stage of the appearance of an abscess, when redness and characteristic itching form, it can dry out and prevent the penetration of acne bacteria.
Paste application technique:
- clean your face of cosmetics and sebum using any usual method, with the exception of alcohol-containing products;
- Using a cotton swab, apply to each pimple, trying not to go beyond the area of redness;
- after two hours, rinse with warm water.
The procedure is carried out no more than 4 times a week.
To enhance the effectiveness, the toothpaste is mixed with an aspirin tablet, ground into a fine powder, and also applied pointwise to problem areas. After a quarter of an hour, the product is washed off.
Important! You should not smear your entire face with toothpaste. The product dries out the skin. This can lead to irritation, disruption of the natural balance of microflora, and the appearance of new pustular formations.
The sebaceous glands perceive dry skin as a violation of its protective function and begin to produce even more secretion, which in turn leads to the formation of new pimples.
The paste is used not only as a single remedy. It is included in various acne masks as one of the main components.
Application area
According to our observations, in everyday life, oral cavity cleaning paste is used as a means:
- from acne on the face;
- in the treatment of herpes;
- getting rid of wrinkles;
- from blackheads;
- from hematomas;
- as a way to quickly get rid of a bruise.
