Pimples and acne often crop up at the most inconvenient times. While this can be expected as stressful situations usually can influence the appearance and formation of acne and pimples, it does little to comfort people who are expected to look their best but are cursed with a big bulbous red splotch on their forehead. For those looking for information on how to get rid of a pimple overnight, here are four home remedies that aren’t exactly medically proven but may do just the trick when you’ve run out of options. They’re better than doing nothing. Nevertheless, remember that it is very unlikely you can completely rid yourself of a pimple overnight. The best you can do is limit a pimple’s appearance.

1. Toothpaste

Surprisingly, many of the compounds in toothpaste can help limit the appearance of a small patch of acne overnight. The real active ingredient is the fluoride and baking soda, both of which sucks out the moisture from your skin over time. Wash your face with a facial cleanser and warm water before bed and apply a small dollop of toothpaste on pimples that you want to get rid of and allow it to set in overnight.  While there is no specific toothpaste for pimples, it is best to use one that does not have many added chemicals.  A simple baking soda based toothpaste is perfect for this job.

2. Lemon Juice

The citric acid in lemon juice is a quick way to cut through your skin’s natural oil which is the leading cause of pimples and acne. Built up skin oil often combines with many waste products from your skin, usually dead skin cells, and forms a paste that clogs and backs up pores. This in turn causes a localized infection which creates the redness and inflammation of acne. Applying lemon juice to your skin as an impromptu acid peel helps remove built up oil from causing further damage. Furthermore, the citric acid can suck out moisture from your skin, allowing you to potentially quell a rebellious pimple.

3. Lavender Oil

A controversial acne treatment, lavender oil has been rumored to help diminish pimples and acne in a short span of time but little evidence supports this assertion. What little proof exists hypothesizes that a compound in lavender oil tinkers with hormone levels, suppressing testosterone and increasing levels of estrogen, allowing acne to be momentarily suppressed. While hormones do influence the development of acne and pimples, more evidence needs to be gleaned before a definite yes or no answer can be given to the effectiveness of lavender oil. Nevertheless, using lavender oil as a last ditch effort may be beneficial for those who are desperate.

4. Egg Whites

Separating the yolk of an egg from the whites and applying the whites to your pimples can be beneficial as egg whites can dehydrate your skin if left on over time. Perform this procedure before bed. Apply the egg whites like a mask and allow it to dry and firm up. After it has sat until your skin feels tight wash off the mask with warm water and a facial cleanser.

All of these treatments are intend to minimize the appearance of pimples overnight, not cure them. The best course of action to deal with acne is to be patient and to prevent any outbreak from occurring by regularly washing your face with a facial scrub and being properly hydrated.

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