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The 27 Best Acne Spot Treatments That Get Rid of Pimples Fast

Here are the best patches, drying lotions, balms, and devices to banish breakouts, whether they're stress-related or from constantly wearing a mask.
27 Best Acne Spot Treatments to Get Rid of Pimples Fast 2020 Reviews
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We've all been there: You get a pimple. You immediately fight back against said pimple with the strongest spot treatment you can find. You end up with a peel-y, dried out, irritated mess that's practically impossible to conceal. Most spot treatments contain varying percentages of either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as active ingredients. In a nutshell, salicylic acid is an incredible chemical exfoliator: "Once it has penetrated the skin, [it] dissolve[s] some of the intercellular 'glue' that holds skin cells together," cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller previously told Allure. For this reason, it's great for treating blemishes caused by clogged pores (blackheads, whiteheads — you get the picture).

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On the other hand, benzoyl peroxide thwarts the bacteria that causes zits in the first place, so it's an ideal active for treating inflammatory acne blemishes. The best spot-squelching products balance zit-zapping actives (such as the aforementioned ones, among others) with skin-soothing ingredients to avoid the dreaded dryout.

Below, 27 products that tackle breakouts quickly — without stripping your skin in the process.

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patches on a white background
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    1/27

    Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patches

    Cosrx's Acne Pimple Master Patches are as beloved as they are affordable. Several Allure staff members swear by the protective stickers for clearing up pesky pimples overnight — that, and they love how featherlight they feel on the skin. "It's disgusting and amazing, but I love seeing pimples come to a head with these; they're like magic!" says video director Annie Venezia. After just one use, you should see a significant reduction in redness and the size of your blemish.

    $6 for 24 patches (Shop Now)

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    My Clarins Clear-Out

    The My Clarins Clear-Out puts plant power into action to shrink blemishes. With anti-inflammatory meadowsweet extract and purslane, which helps with cell regeneration, balancing out the main ingredient (salicylic acid), this 2019 Best of Beauty pick is gentle yet effective.

    $19 (Shop Now)

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    3/27

    Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment

    Swipe on a thin layer of Clean & Clear's Advantage Spot Treatment, formulated with two percent salicylic acid and witch hazel, the second you feel a breakout emerging. Come morning, the blemish will be much smaller and less red — and your skin won't be feel stripped either.

    $6 (Shop Now)

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    4/27

    Rosen Skincare Break Out

    Dab Rosen Skincare Break Out onto your active blemishes, ensuring that the opaque formula completely covers the bump. A powerful blend of zinc oxide, apple cider vinegar, and peppermint oil provides an antibacterial and astringent treatment that fades breakouts overnight.

    $12 (Shop Now)

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    5/27

    Neogen A-Clear Soothing Clear Spot Patch

    Neogen's A-Clear Soothing Clear Spot Patch is another hydrocolloid patch option that creates a moist, sealed-off environment to absorb excess sebum and excretions from your breakouts, while also protecting them from dirt, bacteria, and your own picking habits (which can result in scarring). Pop one on overnight or for a few hours during the day, and witness your breakouts heal faster and scar less.

    $6 for 24 patches (Shop Now)

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    Kinship Pimple Potion Retinal and Salicylic Acid Treatment

    Kinship's Pimple Potion Retinal and Salicylic Acid Treatment can be used on spots or all over your face, depending on your needs. It's powered by two percent salicylic acid and retinal, a fast-acting derivative of retinol (also known as vitamin A) that helps improve skin texture, pigmentation, and tone. The treatment also contains bakuchiol, a natural alternative, to help clear breakouts and brighten skin.

    P.S. For an entire acne-fighting kit, you can get Kinship's Let That Zit Go box, which includes Pimple Potion, Naked Papaya Gentle Enzyme Face Cleanser, and Insta Swipe Lemon Honey AHA Pads.

    $19 (Shop Now)

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    7/27

    Peach Slices Deep Blemish Microdarts

    Peach Slices Deep Blemish Microdarts lock in their targets — dark spots, red spots, and blemish scars — with 176 ultra-fine, self-dissolving microdarts per patch, so ingredients penetrate more deeply. But fret not, the spikes don't hurt. They're infused with a brightening trio of niacinamide, licorice, and vitamin C, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid and cica, to instantly soothe breakouts.

    $9 for nine patches (Shop Now)

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    8/27

    Versed Game Over Acne Drying Treatment

    Take whiteheads and blackheads down before they even have a fighting chance by applying a layer of Versed's Game Over Acne Drying Treatment on clean, dry skin. A combination of 10 percent sulfur and bentonite and kaolin clays absorbs excess oil, exfoliates, and unclogs pores for an easy win.

    $17 (Shop Now)

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    9/27

    Dr. Oracle A-Thera Tea Tree Peeling Sticks

    Dr. Oracle A-Thera Tea Tree Peeling Sticks don't look like your average spot treatment. These huge cotton swabs are drenched in lactic and glycolic acids to deliver a one-two punch to pores and blackheads — so blemishes disappear faster and future breakouts don't pop up. Lactic acid lifts dead skin, while glycolic acid, along with tea tree extract, lemon extract, and bamboo extract gently exfoliates without irritating skin.

    $24 for 10 treatments (Shop Now)

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    10/27

    Dr. Dennis Gross DRx Blemish Solutions Acne Eliminating Gel

    Sometimes spot treatments can feel heavy on the skin, but not Dr. Dennis's Gross DRx Blemish Solutions Acne Eliminating Gel — its lightweight formula applies and dries clear. Two percent salicylic acid, niacinamide, and ferulic acid are among the ingredients that work together to unclog pores, reduce redness, and balance oil production.

    $42 (Shop Now)

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    11/27

    Acropass Trouble Cure

    Treating cystic acne won't feel as daunting when you're armed with Acropass Trouble Cure, a special kind of pimple patch with built-in microneedles. Each treatment starts with a sanitizing pad with salicylic acid and tea tree leaf oil. The second step is a patch, which infuses hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and oligopeptide-76 (a synthetic peptide containing 13 amino acids) into your hard-to-reach blemishes to speed up the healing process. How deeply satisfying.

    $18 for six treatments (Shop Now)

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    12/27

    Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm

    So you've used a patch on a pimple or you've popped one (which dermatologists don't recommend) — now what? Hero Cosmetics' Rescue Balm continues the healing process by hydrating and restoring post-breakout skin with beta-glucan, panthenol, and vitamin E. Since it's a balm, it melts seamlessly into skin, and you'll barely feel like it's there.

    Hero Cosmetics also released a three-piece Maskne Bundle that includes the Rescue Balm alongside its Micropoint for Blemishes and original Mighty Patch.

    $13 (Shop Now)

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    13/27

    Blume Meltdown Acne Oil

    Blume's Meltdown Acne Oil, consisting of dark-spot-fading rosehip, calming blue tansy, and antibacterial black cumin seed, reduces redness and inflammation and, over time, prevents new acne from forming. All you need is one pump for a targeted spot treatment, or you can add on another pump for your whole face. And it also mixes nicely with clay masks, if you want to amp them up with more acne-fighting power.

    $30 (Shop Now)

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    14/27

    First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment

    First Aid Beauty's newly launched FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment clears up blemishes, whiteheads, and blackheads with our dear friend, salicylic acid — while a soothing trifecta consisting of aloe, bisabalol, and oatmeal minimizes redness and calms irritation.

    $26 (Shop Now)

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    15/27

    Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief

    Proactiv has been a well-known guest in many bathroom cabinets for years, and its Emergency Blemish Relief should be no exception. It's formulated with five percent benzoyl peroxide, which opens up and unclogs pores, and decreases inflammation.

    $20 (Shop Now)

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    Peace Out Acne Patches

    Hydrocolloid patches are all the rage for good reason: They stay in place for hours, ensuring that the little dot's zit-zapping salicylic acid soaks into a blemish, while the bandage-like sticker helps pull out impurities. The 2019 Best of Beauty award-winning Peace Out Acne Patches are also infused with vitamin A and aloe vera to help speed up healing and reduce redness, so your skin won't be irritated when you pull the dot off.

    $19 for 20 patches (Shop Now)

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    Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment

    No, this isn't a magic wand, but it might as well be. Developed to mimic in-office dermatology light treatments, Neutrogena's Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment uses red and blue light technology to kill acne bacteria and soothe inflammation on the spot. (Essentially, it's a smaller version of the Best of Beauty-winning mask.)

    $20 (Shop Now)

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    Kate Somerville EradiKate Spot Treatment

    Kate Somerville's EradiKate Spot Treatment is as powerful as it is pretty, thanks to a trio of antibacterial sulfur, exfoliating BHAs, and healing zinc. Dip a clean cotton swab to the bottom and apply only the pink sediment to your areas of concern, and let the treatment dry out and reduce existing acne, while also preventing future breakouts.

    $26 (Shop Now)

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    22/27

    Origins Super Spot Remover

    If you measure the efficacy of zit-zapping products by whether they "feel" like they're getting to work, consider Origins Super Spot Remover the gold standard. Immediately, this transparent gel-like formula imparts a slight tingle. But it's not just a feeling — this stuff is laced with 1.5 percent salicylic acid and clarifying oregano oil, which work to purge blemishes on contact. Bonus points for apple and cucumber extracts, which soothe skin and stop hyperpigmentation in its tracks.

    $19 (Shop Now)

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    23/27

    Kiehl's Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment

    Kiehl's Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment is an Allure Best of Beauty winner for a reason. It earned its spot thanks to its incredibly fast zit-shrinking turnaround. Glycolic acid loosens pore-clogging junk while niacinamide brightens and tightens pores. Don't expect this stuff to smell like sugar and rainbows, though: it's laced with skin-clearing sulfur, which smells inherently rotten-eggy. That said, the benefits far outweigh the less-than-ideal odor.

    $28 (Shop Now)

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    24/27

    Osmia Organics Spot Treatment

    The Osmia Organics Spot Treatment is all the proof we need that natural acne fighters can be effective. It's a blend of essential oils (evening primrose, lavender, lemon, parsley, and thyme) that smells just as calming as you'd imagine. Swipe it on when you feel the beginning tingles of a zit forming to fight pimple-causing bacteria, reduce inflammation, and cut down on redness.

    $22 (Shop Now)

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    25/27

    Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots with Salicylic Acid

    If goopy creams aren't really your thing, may we suggest these handy, dandy stickers? One pack of Skyn Iceland's Blemish Dots with Salicylic Acid comes with 48 clear "dots" that adhere to skin comfortably and without risk of sliding, peeling, or waking up to a pillowcase crusted in zit cream. Simply stick one of these bad boys on and drift off to dreamland (or have an extensive Netflix sesh) and let willow bark-derived salicylic acid get to work flattening pesky pimples.

    $20 for 48 dots (Shop Now)

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    Philosophy Clear Days Ahead

    Philosophy's Clear Days Ahead is about as light, invisible, and nonthreatening as an acne treatment gets. The combination of salicylic and glycolic acids sloughs skin and degunks pores while dimethicone and squalane moisturize. Plus, it's so fast-acting that it can shrink a major zit overnight.?

    $19 (Shop Now)

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    27/27

    Boscia Charcoal Spot Corrector

    Boscia's Charcoal Spot Corrector packs in activated charcoal and a healthy dose of salicylic acid to majorly unblock and exfoliate clogged pores. But it's super low risk in terms of irritation, thanks to an infusion of calming calamine. Plus, it's fragrance-free and preservative-free to boot.

    $28 (Shop Now)

Keywordsskin productsspot treatmentacne treatmentacnezitblemishPhilosophydermalogicaneutrogenaLa Roche-PosayKiehl'smuradsalicylic acidbenzoyl peroxidesulfurDr. Dennis Gross SkincareneogenProActivBlumePeach SlicesVersedHero CosmeticsKinshipRosen Skincarefirst aid beautyskinmasks