A look at using Listerine as a quick pimple fix
We are all familiar with this antibacterial mouthwash product. It is renowned as a great mouthwash; however, there are those that claim it is a quick solution for pimples. Because the product is meant to be used as a mouthwash, the manufacturing company itself never officially advises using their products as a face wash for managing acne. So let’s look at whether it works or not.
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What is Listerine?
Listerine on Pimples
It is a brand of antiseptic mouthwash named after Joseph Lister, a pioneer of antiseptic surgery. It was developed in 1879 by Joseph Lawrence who was a chemist. The active ingredients include essential oils like menthol (mint), thymol (thyme), methyl salicylate (wintergreen), and eucalyptol (eucalyptus). When combined they all have an antiseptic effect. It is thought that methyl salicylate may have an anti-inflammatory effect. Ethanol, which is lethal to bacteria at concentrations of 40%, is present at 21.6% in the flavored type and 26.9% in the original gold Listerine. Here it serves to dissolve the active ingredients. The inclusion of the active ingredients renders the ethanol undrinkable, and it is referred to as denatured alcohol, and it is therefore not classified as an alcoholic beverage.
What do these ingredients do?
Listerine needs to contain at least 40 percent alcohol to kill bacteria on contact completely. Rubbing alcohol helps dry out your oily skin and remove the bacteria that cause acne. It also greatly helps to decrease blackheads and pimples by routinely cleaning the contaminated area about three times a day. Rubbing too much alcohol can result in irritation, nausea, dizziness and even affect eyesight. This is especially true for persons with sensitive and dry skin. The dryness and peeling can cause more oil which only worsens your acne. Apart from alcohol, Listerine has a combination of 4 essential oils, eucalyptus, menthol, thymol, and methyl salicylate. The eucalyptus is obtained from the eucalyptus tree which serves as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. Menthol brings germ-killing properties. It serves to prevent bacterial growth in the mouth. Thymol gets rid of oral infection to reduce the risk of bad breath and gum disease. Methyl salicylate only works to provide flavoring agents to give fresher breath.
Why use Listerine on pimples?
Looking at the ingredients above, can Listerine really work for pimples? There are differing thoughts on the issue. Some say that the combination of alcohol and essential oils is enough to kill the bacteria that cause pimple just like they do in the mouth. For the topical application, you can use a clean cotton ball to dab your pimple with Listerine. Others claim that although Listerine works in preventing the breakouts especially on sensitive skin, the essential oils contents can cause breakout for people with specific allergies.
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Using Listerine on Acne
If you have a serious acne issue can also use Listerine to clean your face. The alcohol will wash your pores and eventually help remove all the uneven spots on your face. Mouthwash often has the same refreshing elements as toothpaste and has a similar drying effect. Be warned that aggressive mouthwashes like Listerine can dry out your skin so much causing more harm than good. So, make sure you don’t use too much on the pimple and try not to use it daily.
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How to use Listerine for pimples?
Popping a pimple can result in scarring and make your acne spread even further, so it is not advised to pop them by medics. It’s more effective to treat acne using OTC treatments and other natural therapies. However, if you have a pimple, you want to get rid of so badly, an old folk remedy involving the use of oral hygiene products like dental floss and mouthwash to try and remove or soothe inflamed acne. To keep pimples from recurring, make sure you also keep your face clean and use more reliable acne treatments as well.
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Treat Pimples
If you deal with regular pimple outbreaks, Listerine is an effective and inexpensive solution to curbing this. The antibacterial and antiseptic properties that make it a pro at keeping cavities at bay also come in handy for eliminating pimple-causing bacteria. Listerine also helps dry out pimples, thus speeding up the healing process.
Removing Pimples with Floss and Mouthwash
Wash your hands thoroughly. If you’re determined to pop a pimple by any means, it’s crucial that you clean your hands before touching your face. The germs on your hands could potentially infect the small wound you’re about to make or enter other pores.
- Remember that bacteria is one of the major causes of acne, along with excessive oil (sebum) and dead skin cells that clog the pores.
- Scrub your hands with soap and lukewarm water for about 20 seconds.
- Make sure you clean under your nails and between your fingers, and rinse all the soap away under clean, flowing water.
- If you lack either the soap or running water, you can use a hand sanitizer. Squirt out some hand sanitizer into one hand, then rub your hands together. Ensure that every part of your hands and fingers is covered with the sanitizer, and keep rubbing your hands together until the hand sanitizer completely evaporates.
Clean your face. Not eliminating the excess dirt and bacteria can also infect the site of the pimple, so it’s crucial that you wash your face prior to and after popping any pimples. Benzoyl peroxide is among the most effective constituents to look for in a facial wash, as it helps kill bacteria on your skin. Other constituents like salicylic acid are effective at exfoliating the skin and may help simply wash away bacteria.
- Do not over clean your face or scrub very much. This may end in irritated skin and worsened acne flare-ups
- Dampen your face with fresh lukewarm or cool water.
- Apply the non-abrasive everyday facial cleanser you choose. Avoid scrubbing, instead gently rub it on your whole face, giving special care to the afflicted area and its surrounding areas.
- Thoroughly flush your face using clean, warm water. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel or a soft, fresh cloth towel. Do not rub as this may irritate the skin.
Get some clean dental floss. Gather enough dental floss to coil around your fingers as if you were about to floss. Wrap both ends around your two forefingers so that you can properly position and maneuver the floss.Remove the pimple.
- To remove the pimple, position the floss against one side of the pimple. Then pull the dental floss as tightly as possible and draw a taut line across the pimple, sticking as close to the skin as possible.
- Try to use a somewhat swift “scratching” action, but not too quickly or you may accidentally injure your face.
- Some may want to do a second “walk through” with the floss to guarantee any deposits in the skin are removed.
- Discard the floss when you are done.
- Do not reuse it for any other reason, like the popping of other pimples. Already used floss can spread bacteria, and should be thrown away immediately.
Clean the wound. Some folk remedies suggest using mouthwash to clean the wound area after you have popped the pimple. This is because mouthwash has antiseptic qualities (due to the alcohol content in most mouthwashes), and mouthwash will not sting quite badly as higher percentage alcohol agents like pure rubbing alcohol.
- Be warned that using mouthwash on your skin for pimples is most likely to dry out the skin on your face. It can also make the skin inflamed and even scaly due to the peeling.
- If you are set on using mouthwash, pour a little fresh mouthwash from the bottle onto your face, or pour some onto a clean cotton ball and dab it on the affected area.
- Do not reuse mouthwash that has come into contact with your face or cleaned a wound or the mouth. Pour it out a little bit at a time to use on a cotton ball. If it is contaminated, it could potentially spread blood-borne disease and bacteria to your mouth, other pimple wounds or the mouths of others.
Tips to have in mind: Follow all general hygienic steps before and after removing the pimple. This method is not recommended for acne.Warnings:
- Do not reutilize dental floss or mouthwash that has been employed for pimple removal. Discard any dental hygiene goods that have come into contact with your epidermis and blood or pus.
- Remember to cleanse your hands after eliminating the pimple.
- Popping pimples, including removing them with dental floss, is known to cause scarring. It is not urged as a method of treating pimples.
