Our Best Secrets To Prevent & Treat Pimples

Getting rid of pimples involves adopting a consistent and effective skincare routine, making healthy lifestyle choices, and sometimes seeking professional help. As a general rule, pimples are pretty much guaranteed to happen at the most inconvenient time. We’re all aware of the actual causes of them — stress, hormones, genetics, clogged pores. But how to get rid of pimples is a little trickier to nail down. Acne treatments can vary from person to person based simply on things like age, skin type, environment, and product routine.

As experts in all things skin, we’ve spent decades researching, testing, and refining different ways to prevent pimples of all shapes, sizes, and causes. Below, we’re sharing those tips with you to help you conquer your breakouts and show those pimples who’s boss.

Prevention

The best way to make sure a pimple doesn’t cause problems for your skin is to avoid them at all costs. Unfortunately, that’s a lot harder than it sounds, especially for those suffering from near-constant breakouts. But, even if you can’t totally eradicate them, there are things you can do to help minimize how severe a breakout will be.

For the most part, pimples are caused by excess sebum and dead skin clogging a hair follicle, trapping the bacteria that causes acne and allowing it to cause an infection and inflammation. So, rather than waiting until that process has already happened, you’ll want to take care of that oil and dead skin before it has a chance to clog pores. You can start by using an exfoliating cleanser and oil-controlling moisturizer. The Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser is formulated with Ginger Root Extract, Frankincense, and anti-acne hero ingredient Salicylic Acid — an oil-soluble acid that penetrates the surface of the pore to treat the blemish from within.

There’s a common misconception that people who are prone to acne don’t need to use a moisturizer. We’re here to tell you that’s patently false. In fact, skipping moisturizer can possibly lead to more breakouts. Acne treatments have a tendency to damage your skin barrier function, drying out skin and tricking skin into thinking it needs to produce more sebum to make up for it. And we know that excess oil = clogged pores = blemishes. Look for a moisturizer specifically made for oily, acne-prone skin, like the Breakout Control Acne Treatment Facial Lotion with Salicylic Acid and Vitamin B3.

Treatment

If, despite your best efforts, a pimple (or a few) pop up, don’t despair — there are ways to help reduce the severity of acne blemishes. First and foremost: unclog those pores. You want to use products that are designed to clean your skin and won’t clog pores. Refrain from popping or picking, and instead reach for a pore-detoxifying cleanser like the Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask. . It is formulated with Amazonian White Clay to help draw out the dirt, toxins, and oil that have taken up residence in your pores.

If you’re not familiar with Sulfur, now’s the time to get acquainted. This active mineral is often used in acne treatments because of its ability to reduce the size of a blemish without over-drying the skin. This, combined with brightening and oil-balancing Vitamin B3, is what makes our Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment a no-brainer solution to pesky pimples.

Dealing with pimples is all about constant vigilance — you need to pay attention to your skin and what it is trying to tell you. Once you learn its rhythms, you’ll be well on your way to, if not totally preventing future breakouts, then at least making them less severe.