You may be able to reduce acne discoloration and inflammation by choosing certain skin care products, such as a gentle cleanser and hypoallergenic moisturizer, along with other practices.

Even devotees of the 10-step skin care routine get pimples. If you have red, irritated acne blemishes, there are ways to minimize redness through skin care efforts.

However, if you’ve arrived at this page with little time to spare, there are also some tips for concealing blemishes until you can get the redness or other color changes to go away for good.

The key to reducing discoloration from acne is to apply anti-inflammatory compounds while being gentle to your skin. This means don’t try to use every scrub or irritating product to treat your acne. Keep it simple.

If you apply too many oil-removing products, your skin could react the opposite way: It could start to overproduce oil, which may worsen your acne. The goal is to keep your skin clean and apply targeted products to reduce redness while your blemishes heal.

Here are some tips for calming your skin if you have acne:

  • Cleansing: Cleanse the skin twice daily (morning and night) with a gentle, fragrance-free, and noncomedogenic (won’t clog pores) cleanser.
  • Niacinamide: Add a product with niacinamide to your daily routine. Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 shown to reduce acne-related inflammation and redness. You can usually find it in serum or cream form for topical application.
  • Salicylic acid: Apply topical salicylic acid to red, irritated blemishes. Salicylic acid is a peeling agent that also has anti-inflammatory (anti-redness), antimicrobial, and antifungal properties when applied at percentages ranging from 0.5% to 5%.
  • Pimple patches: Consider pimple patches or stickers. If you have just one or two blemishes, you can purchase pimple patches designed to minimize a pimple’s appearance. Most contain salicylic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, or some combination of ingredients designed to reduce the pimple’s appearance and promote healing.
  • Ice: Apply a cloth-covered ice pack or piece of ice over inflamed areas. Leave on for 10 minutes or less.
  • Hypoallergenic: Use a lightweight, noncomedogenic moisturizer to keep your skin from drying out. Look for hypoallergenic products in a lotion or gel form that contain moisturizers, such as hyaluronic acid.

Sometimes, you’ll need to call in the professionals for consistent, painful, and inflamed pimples. A dermatologist can evaluate your skin and prescribe professional-level treatments, such as topical applications, chemical peels, or laser therapy.

Acne can also closely resemble rosacea, a condition that causes significant skin redness or darker patches on dark skin tones. Because the treatments for rosacea can be different from traditional acne-fighting approaches, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist if you’re not sure.

You can also apply a mild cortisone cream to an inflamed pimple to decrease discoloration and swelling. This should be done sparingly and only as a spot treatment, as topical steroids themselves can actually cause acne, as well as other potential side effects such as skin thinning.

Sometimes, even your best efforts at reducing redness don’t show enough immediate results. In this case, makeup can be used to cover it up. Here’s how to start:

  • Clean your hands thoroughly before touching your skin.
  • Cleanse and moisturize the skin.
  • Apply base makeup if you wear any. Sometimes, heavier makeup is a giveaway that you have a blemish. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer or other lighter coverage foundation.
  • Choose a concealer for the blemish. You’ll want to look for a concealer that is like putty (thick) in consistency. Some makeup companies will offer color-correcting concealers that are green, which may help, especially with red zits. If not, matching the concealer color as closely as possible to your skin will help.
  • Take a small, clean makeup brush and apply concealer over and around the pimple, blending well with your surrounding skin.
  • Gently set the concealer with a powder (loose or pressed is fine).
  • Sometimes, you may have to apply more than one layer of concealer. You can apply the first concealer layer, wait a few minutes, then apply another layer.
  • Clean your makeup brush with a gentle cleanser or rubbing alcohol after using it to conceal your blemish.

You’ll want to use products that are all oil-free and noncomedogenic when concealing your pimple, to prevent further irritation.

Consistent skin care is beneficial for reducing inflammation, and so is adopting an acne prevention plan. Your acne prevention skin care routine should include the following:

  • Cleanse twice daily with a gentle cleanser.
  • Apply topical anti-acne agents. These may include azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or topical retinoid applications (such as adapalene). Each has different acne-fighting powers that include antimicrobial and exfoliating qualities. Tea tree oil may also help, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. However, there’s less research on its effectiveness.
  • Apply a light moisturizer (and don’t forget the sunscreen in the morning).
  • Remember: Never squeeze your pimples. While a pimple (especially one with a white top) can be tempting to squeeze, this will only make the redness worse.

If this plan doesn‘t help your acne subside, see a dermatologist.

Acne redness can indicate underlying irritation and inflammation in your skin. A lot of this can be hormone-related, as hormones can determine how much oil your skin produces. However, you can use a consistent skin care routine with topical agents intended to reduce blemishes.

A good concealer isn‘t a bad idea for when the occasional blemish pops up. But remember to call your dermatologist if your blemish won’t go away after a few days of at-home care.