How To Get Rid Of Pimple Redness: 9 Tips That Cleared My Skin In 2 Weeks

Frustrated with acne scars and dark spots after pimples heal? Here are nine tips on how to get rid of pimple redness and scarring, so you can have clear, healthier skin in just a few weeks.

Do you notice red marks on your skin after your pimples heal?

It’s a frustrating struggle that I’ve dealt with for years. Just when you think your skin is about to clear up, you’re left with acne scars and dark spots. It’s super frustrating, but over the years I’ve found a few tips to quickly reduce acne redness and acne scarring for clear, healthier skin.

After going down a rabbit hole and doing deep dives into the scientific literature, binge-watching advice from dermatologists and cosmetic scientists, as well as consulting with my dermatologist, I now have a better understanding of how to get rid of pimple redness.

In this article, I’ll share tips on how I get rid of pimple redness within 1-2 weeks. Let’s dive in!

What Causes Post-Pimple Redness?

Have you ever wondered why pimples leave behind those annoying red marks? Well, it’s called post-pimple redness, and it happens when blood rushes to the skin around the acne spot.

White blood cells try to protect our skin from “foreign objects” like dead skin cells, bacteria, and too much oil in our pores. When these white blood cells show up, they bring along a surge of blood to help heal that area. As a result, your body produces melanin (gives our skin color), to help protect the skin.

Sometimes this acne redness is worsened by harsh acne treatments because they irritate and increase inflammation on your skin. Overdoing it on acne treatments like salicylic acid and retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, and more can all dry out your skin and promote redness.

Tips To Get Rid of Pimple Redness

Here are my super effective tips for reducing acne redness and getting clear skin within a few weeks.

Tip 1: Keep Your Skin Hydrated

One of the biggest mistakes I made in my skincare routine for acne was not hydrating properly. Dehydrated skin can lead to inflammation, making acne worse and causing redness.

When I started to incorporate more hydrating ingredients like serums and a more hydrating moisturizer my skin felt calmer, less irritated, and redness reduced. This helped minimize my inflammation making it easier to treat my acne breakouts and reduce redness.

I recommend using a hydrating serum like hyaluronic acid to help with acne. It ensures that your skin doesn’t overproduce oil, preventing clogged pores from leading to breakouts. It also reduces the appearance of acne scars and redness by plumping up the skin and giving it a smoother appearance

Tip #2: Reduce inflammation with gentle ingredients

Harsh skincare products can irritate the skin and cause more redness, especially for those dealing with acne. Incorporate soothing ingredients like aloe vera, green tea extract, Centella Asiatica to soothe and calm irritated skin.

I absolutely love this Korean serum called the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Serum! It’s my go-to for reducing inflammation. It’s specially formulated for sensitive skin and has amazing ingredients like Centella Asiatica that calm and soothe. Not only does it help with redness and inflammation, but it also works wonders for reducing the appearance of acne redness.

I also recommend choosing a Korean moisturizer with soothing ingredients to not only keep your skin hydrated but also to reduce skin irritation. My favorite calming moisturizers are the Iunik Centella Calming Gel Cream and the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel. They are both lightweight and gentle, perfect for acne-prone skin.

Tip # 3: Use Products That Treat Acne and Redness

When looking for Korean skincare products for acne, make sure they also target redness. Ingredients like retinoids, (specifically adapalene or tretinoin), azeliac acid, salicylic acid, and niacinamide can treat both acne and redness at the same time.

Retinoids

Topical retinoids work to target hyperpigmentation before the melanin production process starts. Plus, they speed up skin cell turnover, helping pigment reach the skin surface and shed faster.

0.1% adapalene gel (a type of retinol) has been proven to lighten certain types of dark marks, including post-acne marks. You can purchase adapalene over the counter, and it’s pretty effective without irritating your skin.

The gold standard retinoid for acne treatment and acne redness is Tretinoin. However, it is more irritating and you need a prescription from a board-certified dermatologist.

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid specifically targets abnormal pigmentation caused by inflammation or sun damage. But it doesn’t do much for normal pigmentation or freckles [4]. So, it can help lighten age spots and dark marks, but it’s not super effective for overall skin lightening. Combining treatments can give you even better results.

When used on its own, it can be as effective as 2% hydroquinone in reducing hyperpigmentation.

Niacinamide

This is a form of vitamin B3 that works wonders for your skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties help calm the skin, which is crucial in reducing the appearance of dark spots.

Niacinamide can actually reduce the spread of melanin to surrounding skin cells by up to 68%. It’s pretty cool because it can also prevent sun-induced melanin production and give you lightning benefits similar to hydroquinone.

Tip: Use Niacinamide and salicylic acid in your 10-step Korean skincare routine to help even your skin tone and get smooth, oil free skin.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that exfoliates the skin, removing dead skin cells and unclogging pores. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which helps reduce redness and irritation from acne.

However, it’s best used as a wash-off treatment because its drying effects can lead to more inflammation if left on the skin for too long.

These ingredients are specially formulated to tackle various stages of melanin production, which makes them great for treating acne redness. For the best results, mix different ingredients that target melanin production at different stages. This way, you can enhance the overall effectiveness of your treatment.

Here are a few ways you can incorporate these ingredients to remove dark spots caused by pimples. For example:

• Niacinamide, Azeliac Acid and Retinoids (Adapalene or Tretinoin): Niacinamide and Azeliac acid in the morning. Use Retinoids in the evening.
• Salicylic Acid, Retinol and Vitamin C: Vitamin C in am and pm routines. Salicilic Acid and Retinoids (Adapalene or Tretinoin) at night.
• Vitamin C, Retinol and Azeliac acid: Azelaic Acid and Vitamin C for both morning and Retinoids (Adapalene or Tretinoin) at night.

Tip #4: Use Sun Protection

Sun exposure can worsen post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and cause dark spots to become more prominent.

I’ve found that individuals with acne-prone skin often like Korean mineral sunscreens because they are gentle and less likely to cause acne. Also, mineral sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide can actually soothe irritation, making it perfect for those experiencing redness from acne.

Another great option are chemical Korean sunscreens with high SPF levels (SPF 50+) that also contain niacinamide and hydrating ingredients. This provides double protection against both sun damage and dark spots. My favorite is Round Lab Birch Juice Sunscreen because it’s super moisturizing and makes your skin look hydrated and glowy.

Tip #5: Spot Treatment To Reduce Inflammation

For cystic acne or larger inflammatory acne pumps, try these different approaches to spot treat to reduce the redness of inflamed pimples and reduce the size of your acne lesions.

• Use an ice cube or cold compress and apply it to your skin for pimples for about 15 minutes to reduce inflammation and redness.
• Apply a small amount of tea tree oil, benzoyl peroxide, or sulfur. Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe acne, while benzoyl peroxide helps kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. Sulfur is also great at reducing inflammation and redness.
• Apply hydrocortisone cream to help reduce redness and inflammation. However, this should not be used regularly as it can thin the skin and cause other side effects.
• Use snail mucin to help heal your blemishes. Read more about my snail mucin before and after results after trying COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Power Essence for 30 days.

Tip #6: Don’t Pick or Pop Pimples

I know, it can be tempting to pop your pimple, but trust me, it will only make things worse. Picking or squeezing pimples only damages your skin barrier and causes more inflammation leading to permanent scarring. I avoid this by applying a pimple patch throughout the day to keep my hands from being tempted

Tip #7: Cut The Sugar. Eat more Greens and Health Oils

Apart from using the right products on your skin, it’s also important to nourish your body from within. Now here’s the tricky part: the connection between what you eat and oily skin isn’t super clear. Some studies suggest that certain foods, like those high in sugar and dairy, might make your skin oilier, which leads to more breakouts and acne redness.

On the flip side, munching on greens and healthy fats could help reduce your breakouts and help prevent inflamed skin.

Tip #8: Be Patient and Consistent

Managing pimple redness, especially when differentiating between purging vs. breaking out, takes time. So be patient with your skin and stick to a consistent routine.

It may take a few weeks or even months to see results, but consistency is key. Also, if you’re new to retinoids your skin may do a little purge while your skin becomes acclimated.

I recommend taking weekly selfies so you can visually track your skin’s progress and you can see your skin improving over time. This was really helpful for me when I felt like my skin wasn’t making the progress I wanted.

Tip #9: Consult A Dermatologist

While these tips can be helpful, it’s always a good idea to reach out to a dermatologist for personalized advice and treatment options. They can evaluate your skin type and suggest the best products and treatments tailored to your specific needs.

Also, if you’ve tried these tips and haven’t seen any improvements within a month or two, it’s probably a good idea to seek professional help to address any underlying issues that could be causing your acne and redness.

Conclusion

Adding these tips and products to my skincare routine totally cleared up pimple redness in just 2 weeks. And hopefully, they’ll work for you too! Drop a comment below with your favorite tips, products, or what’s helped you so we can all help each other out.