Toothpaste for Pimples

Written by beacnefree on August 19th, 2008

Pimples are the bane of many a teenager’s life, and there are as many products on the market as there are people. All these products promise to do the same thing, rid you of pimples. For some people they either do not work or are cost prohibitive. So what to do when you get up and find a zit on your face? Get out the toothpaste? It seems this has become a favorite home remedy for many people. The question is will it work? So far, the results seem to be mixed.

There are those who swear by its effectiveness and others who say loudly, no way! First, let’s look at what everyone does agree on.

Toothpaste will dry a pimple out
It is best used as an overnight treatment
It can irritate the skin
Use only white paste no gels
Try a small area first for 15-20 minutes

The idea to use toothpaste as a spot treatment is probably because many types of toothpaste contain triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial ingredient often added to personal care items like soap and even acne treatments.

Toothpaste also acts like a mask in that it will draw impurities from the skin, including the bacteria that make up a pimple. Inside the pores are sebaceous glands, which produce sebum. When the outer layers of the skin shed as they often do they can become glued together and block the pore. More sebum is produced behind the blockage, that sebum contains bacteria. Hence, the reasons so many find toothpaste to be so helpful.

It seems to me the verdict is this, toothpaste can help but if you have very sensitive skin or allergies, it may cause more problems than it fixes. People with sensitive skin have reported that the use of toothpaste made their skin dry, red and in some cases more irritated than it was with the acne. If you fall into this category, you may need to stick with commercial products or see your physician.

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