We’ve all had that awful experience of waking up with a monstrous zit. But what about those times when you can actually feel the zit beginning to make its way through to the surface of your complexion? Often this involves a small, red, and painful bump under the skin, just out of popping range. It’s one thing to have a zit already in place but what should you do about the one that hasn’t quite popped up yet?

When you experience a painful, red bump on your face that does not have a whitehead on it and hasn’t fully finished growing, these are actually cysts, which either go away on their own or develop into your typical pimple after a few days. This type of blemish is faint in appearance and sensitive to the touch. Because it is still deep in the skin, there isn’t much you can do about it. Or is there?

Unlike regular zits or pimples, which are known as “superficial” blemishes because of its location, these zits found under the skin aren’t as prone to topical treatments such as creams, spot treatments, gels or washes. The number one thing you should never do when faced with this type of a pimple is to scratch, poke, squeeze or perform any other action in an attempt to get the cyst to pop or come to the surface faster. It will come up on its own terms so doing anything rash will only result in creating a scar or irritating the skin further.

If the redness and swelling of the cyst bothers you, try applying a drop of lemon juice to the area. While this is a common at-home treatment for regular pimples, the lemon’s ability to soothe the irritation can help prevent you from picking at the area. Also try applying a warm or cold compress. In some cases, this allows the cyst to go away on its own without turning into a zit or speed up the process and bring it to a head sooner. Depending on your skin type and how it reacts, doing a simple facial steaming at home can also help to keep the area clean and free of oil and bacteria, which are the main culprits responsible for the cause of pimples.

If you suffer from cystic acne, treatment from a doctor should be sought out before attempting to deal with your cysts yourself. Just because you get one or two cysts, doesn’t mean you have cystic acne or acne of any kind. People of all skin types can get these types of blemishes so if you don’t have a history of cystic acne, then the steps mentioned above should be enough to tackle the problem. When all else fails and your cyst does grow into zit, then you can resume your normal treatment.

While no one is immune to getting cysts or zits on their face, the best way to keep your complexion clean is to cleanse, tone and moisturize at least twice a day and avoid touching your face.  

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