Toothpaste and pimples have a very long connection. People across the globe fall for old beauty tales. Even celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, and Olivia Munn use toothpaste to treat a pimple.
Applying toothpaste to acne can help settle down it, but at the same time, it irritates the skin. Toothpaste contains ingredients that can hit the bacteria and help shrink and dry acne, Shadi Kourosh, a Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Dermatology says. It contains ingredients like alcohol, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide, she added.
But, the antibacterial effect of toothpaste may have been because of triclosan. The Food and Drug Administration has recently banned it, citing some negative impacts on health. Moreover, there are other agents in toothpaste that irritates the skin, like sodium lauryl sulfate and fluoride, as reported by the Washington Post.
But, today, there are many scientifically proven safer options for treating acne. The two elements are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. They are sold in the form of facewash.
According to Joel Cohen, a board-certified dermatologist and director of AboutSkin Dermatology in Denver, the formula is much better and based on data than toothpaste. Benzoyl peroxide not only kills the bacteria in pimple but also act as an anti-inflammatory and prevents swelling and redness, he added.
Generally, benzoyl peroxide ranges from 2.5 to 20 percent in different products. Many dermatologists, including Kourosh, suggest that those with sensitive skin should go with lower percentage products. Apply either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to the pimple twice a day and moisturize the skin around the pimple, Kourosh suggests.
Apart from treatment, health experts suggest that people should look out for what they are consuming. If their diet includes too much fried food, then there are high chances that they develop pimples and acne. Also, keeping yourself hydrated is equally important.
People who still want to go for home remedies can go for tea tree oil toothpaste. A 2014 study suggests that the tea tree extract contains about 5 percent benzoyl peroxide.
