A zit is probably the last thing anyone wants right before their wedding, but sometimes life, stress, and hormones happen. We’re here to offer some encouragement and help, so back away from the harsh exfoliators and zit extraction tools and try these simple tricks.
First of all, how far out is your wedding?
If you still have a lot of time, the good news is you’ll probably be naturally rid of it by the time your wedding day comes. If you have a few weeks to go, schedule yourself a chemical peel or HydraFacial so that your skin has some time to heal on its own and gradually reduce the blemish. These are great treatments to get before a wedding anyway, zit or no zit.
The Week Of
In this case, it’s time for some intervention. Your best course of action right now is a facial treatment where it can safely be extracted (if it’s formed a head). Your esthetician will prep your face properly to safely open up the blemish and drain it so the inflammation and redness can dissipate. She can also provide you with a spot treatment recommendation and some fast-acting products that will banish your zit by the end of the week.
If you’re concerned because your zit hasn’t come to a head or it’s extremely large, we’d recommend a Kenalog injection. A Kenalog treatment is injected directly into the cyst, reducing the size and redness very quickly. In some cases, improvement can be seen within a few hours. But you should expect a day or so before the blemish is noticeably reduced or gone. And if your zit is particularly large, you may need more than one injection.
2—3 Days Out
In addition to Kenalog injections, you should also be using a strong spot treatment. Something like Acne Control Serum contains benzoyl peroxide, a powerful acne fighter that can be drying but incredibly fast-acting. It probably won’t get rid of the blemish as quickly as a Kenalog injection, but if for anything other than large, cystic blemishes, you should be fine with a spot treatment.
The Day Of
So you woke up with a zit. It’s ok! Your photographer will most certainly have your back with Photoshop, however, we still have some tips that might help you cover it up and focus on more important things today. Be sure to do a spot treatment on your blemish before applying your makeup, and use comedogenic, full-coverage makeup and concealer to make sure the redness isn’t visible. And if you’re really concerned, have someone hold onto some concealer throughout the day in case you need a little extra coverage.
Here's what you should NOT do
Don’t get aggressive with your skin. It’s frustrating getting a blemish at such an inopportune time, but don’t go overboard trying to get rid of it. Avoid the temptation to use gritty scrubs right now because they can irritate the skin, make redness worse, slow down healing, and potentially lead to more infection and breakouts.
Don’t add any new products to your routine that you’ve never tried before, even if you think it will be harmless. This includes any new actives you’ve never tried or facial masks that promise to soothe your skin or clear acne. If your skin has a bad reaction to any of the ingredients, you want to have enough time to correct the issue. And don’t overdo it on retinol, either. Keep your dosage and frequency of use the same so you don’t have any unexpected issues with skin sensitivity.
And finally, save the makeup for later. Bacteria can sometimes build up in your makeup and lead to unwanted surprises. Treat yourself to a soothing facial treatment and let your pores breath.
If you're dealing with a breakout and it's an emergency, contact us at info@supriyamd.com or call our office at 561-805-9399 to book an appointment with us.