Does Toothpaste On Your Pimples Actually Work? We Tried It...

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We’ve all heard the myth that putting toothpaste on pimples overnight can get rid of them by morning. And, when we’re confronted by an unexpected visit from the pimple fairy, most of us have frantically unleashed Colgate on our new visitor in an effort to get rid of it. But is there a method to this madness? Or is this tip you heard from your friend completely useless? Well, kinda! Here’s the reason why the toothpaste myth has existed for as long as it has and why you should probably ditch it.

Using Toothpaste on Pimples Overnight

One of the reasons toothpaste was believed to be a suitable treatment for minimizing pimples was due to a key ingredient called triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent found in tons of different products, like toothpaste, soap, toys, detergents, and surgical cleaning treatments. Because of this, its powerful antimicrobial properties were touted to help target acne-causing bacteria on the skin.

The problem with triclosan is that no one really uses it anymore. It’s been widely debated that the use of triclosan might encourage antimicrobial resistance due to its strong effects. Another concern was its possible role in disrupted hormonal development, resulting in many toothpaste providers ditching it for less controversial ingredients.

But Does Putting Toothpaste on Pimples Make Them Go Away?

It dries pimples out, sure, but it’s less effective than conventional treatments. Toothpaste typically contains a host of different ingredients, like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, and menthol (and occasionally triclosan), which help pull moisture from your pimple. So, if you’ve been using toothpaste to minimize pimples, now you know how it achieved your results. However, toothpaste on its own isn’t any better than traditional pimple creams or lotions at getting rid of a pimple – although it might be slightly less expensive.

The thing is, toothpaste can do more than just get rid of your spot, especially if you have sensitive skin. When you consider that toothpaste is designed for teeth – not skin – it’s easy to see why its concentrations of drying agents (like hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, and baking soda) have the potential to dry out zits overnight, as well as harm the skin itself. In fact, using toothpaste is more likely to result in ongoing redness, skin tenderness, and peeling, so ultimately, is it even worth it? Think about it: your spot might dry up quicker, but it won’t actually make your skin look clearer in less time, as it’ll most likely leave you with a red, dry patch instead.

Toothpaste Alternatives to Take Down Pimples

If you’re looking for a fast and affordable solution to getting rid of an unwanted visitor, check out these drugstore spot treatments that take down pimples fast!

We’ve all been there and done the toothpaste trick, but now we know the truth, we might just stick to using it on our teeth. If you really want to improve any acne, check out our top 5 acne tips from our skincare expert here. Let us know if you’ll be ditching toothpaste in the comments below – and tell your friends!