How to tell if a pimple is infected?

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By Beth Gillette

What does a infected pimple look like?

An infected pimple may be larger than a regular pimple because of swelling. It can also be warm and sore to the touch. There may also be more redness when a pimple becomes infected. An infected pimple is also going to be more painful and inflamed.

What happens if a pimple gets infected?

Potential Complications from a Skin Infection

Staph is the primary cause of skin infection worldwide, and if left untreated can lead to boils, fever, rash, and worse. Staph aureus bacteria also exacerbates inflammatory skin conditions. Pimples that have been popped or infected are also more likely to scar.

Signs of an infected pimple include:

  1. Blemish that’s larger or more obvious than a typical pimple.
  2. Fever or fatigue.
  3. Oozing or bleeding from the zit (pus may be yellow).
  4. Pain or discomfort on and around the pimple.
  5. Swelling, inflammation or redness in the area.

Treatment

  1. A warm compress. Gently apply a warm compress to the infected pimple twice a day.
  2. Apply benzoyl peroxide. This is an over-the-counter (OTC) cream that kills bacteria.
  3. Keep the area clean. Avoid touching the pimple, and clean it regularly to stop the infection from spreading and creating more infected pimples.

Will an infected pimple heal on its own?

An infected pimple will usually clear up after a few weeks without the need for medical treatment. In severe cases, however, more invasive treatments may be necessary to kill the bacteria causing the infection.

How long does an inflamed pimple last?

A pimple typically heals on its own in three to seven days. However, if you pop the pimple, it can become infected and take longer to heal. Topical acne treatments can shorten the amount of time it takes to heal.

If you think your skin may be infected, watch for these signs:

  1. Pus or fluid leaking out of the cut.
  2. Red skin around the injury.
  3. A red streak that runs from the cut toward your heart.
  4. A pimple or yellowish crust on top.
  5. Sores that look like blisters.
  6. Pain that gets worse after a few days.

How long does it take for a pimple infection to go away?

Pimples can take as long as six weeks to go away, but smaller, single pimples may take only a few days to disappear. They aren’t dangerous, but a doctor can help you treat long-lasting or painful pimples.

How long does an infected pimple last?

Most infected pimples get better with good hygiene and antibiotics. But it may take a few weeks for the infection to clear up. Serious infections and complications from an infected pimple are rare.

How do you know if a pimple is infected?

An infected pimple is hard to miss. Temple points to four telltale signs: the pimple is larger in diameter than your typical zit with inflammation, pain and visible pus.

What happens if you don’t pop an infected pimple?

While waiting is never fun, it’s worth it when it comes to pimple-popping. Basically, what happens if you don’t pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days. It may happen that you wake up one morning and notice the pimple is gone. Or you may notice the pimple draining.

How long does an infected pimple take to heal?

The healing time of pimples varies a lot, depending on their severity and how you treat them. Generally, infected zits can take as long as six weeks to go away completely.

What does an infected pimple look like?

If you’re wondering, “What does an infected pimple look like?”, envision your standard blemish — but worse. Infected pimples tend to have more swelling, which creates a larger, more inflamed blemish. It can also be sore or painful, as well as warm to the touch. It may or may not be filled with pus.

How long does it take for an inflamed pimple to go down?

How long does it take a pimple to go away? Most pimples take 1-2 weeks to go away on their own. Some can take up to 6 weeks. Although they can’t be cured overnight, they can be treated with many different methods that have been proven to work such prescription acne treatment like tretinoin and topical antibiotics.

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