Breakouts and blemishes aren't just a problem for teenagers — many adults have their fair share of acne woes, too.
While there are dozens of acne spot treatments on the market, finding one that actually works can be quite a challenge. To help, Shop TODAY asked a handful of dermatologists and an esthetician about the best acne spot treatments they recommend depending on your specific needs.
Here's what they had to say, starting with what active ingredients to keep an eye out for, as well as their favorite acne spot-treating products.
What to look for | Expert-approved acne spot treatments | Expert-approved pimple patches | Editor faves | How we chose | Meet the experts
What should I look for in an acne spot treatment?
- Benzoyl peroxide. Dermatologist Dr. Hadley King tells Shop TODAY that benzoyl peroxide is helpful for a few reasons, specifically killing bacteria that leads to acne as well as clearing pores. "It also has anti-inflammatory properties and comedolytic properties, meaning that it works for all different kinds of acne: blackheads, whiteheads and larger red pimples. I recommend applying a small amount in a thin layer in order to avoid unnecessary irritation, and I would recommend using it one to three times per day."
- Salicylic acid. This ingredient is a powerful acne-fighting acid that exfoliates and unclogs pores. Dr. Neda Mehr, a board-certified dermatologist in Newport Beach, California, told Shop TODAY in an earlier piece: “By dissolving the protein that holds the sticky skin cells together, salicylic acid helps unclog pores [that are a result of] whiteheads or blackheads." Breaking down this layer (a "glue," if you will), salicylic acid facilitates exfoliation and helps other acne-fighting products penetrate more deeply into your skin "instead of sitting on top of a cellophane-like layer of clogged skin cells,” Mehr added.
- Retinoids. Retinoids (and retinol, a weaker form), are a chemical compound derived from vitamin A that can also be found in many anti-aging treatments. They have a host of benefits, including minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, reducing hyperpigmentation and stimulating collagen production, according to Dr. Rebecca Baxt, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey. According to Sperling, this ingredient also helps treat breakouts. Just keep in mind that mild irritation, dryness and redness are normal when first starting retinoids or retinol, so allow your skin time to adjust.
The best acne spot treatments, according to experts
Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment
- Works quickly and efficiently
- Dries up acne
- Small amount for price
Size: .75 oz. | Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide
In addition to this drugstore product's benzoyl peroxide pimple-banishing powers, the oil-free cream is also lightweight, absorbs quickly and won't dry out your face, said New Jersey-based dermatologist Dr. Shari Sperling. "It’s also oil-free and non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog pores and cause more breakouts," she added.
Sperling also recommends using it up to two times daily with your morning and nighttime skin care regimen.
Differin Gel
- Helps dark spots fade
- Feels smooth on skin
- Tube may be smaller than expected
Size: .5 oz. | Key ingredients: Adapalene
“Hands down my favorite over-the-counter treatment is Differin Gel, which is a prescription-strength retinoid [called adapalene] that is the gold standard for the treatment of different types of acne, from whiteheads to blackheads to mild to moderate acne or even occasional breakouts,” said Dr. Melissa Levin, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology.
Sperling is also a fan. “Differin is my go-to product recommendation for my patients suffering from acne,” she said. “It’s affordable and easy to get now that it doesn’t require a prescription.”
Differin also has anti-inflammatory properties and is “photo-stable,” meaning you can use it during the day when the sun is out, added Levin. Plus, it doubles as a great anti-aging skin care product.
As for application, a pea-sized amount goes a long way. “I recommend using only once daily and integrating it into your nighttime skin care routine,” she said. “Those with mild to moderate acne-prone skin will see the best results, but it can be used on all skin types.”
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
- Easy to use
- Minimizes pores
- May dry out skin
Size: 1 oz. | Key ingredients: Salicylic Acid, sulfur, calamine
This cult-favorite breakout buster is another great way to get rid of all of your unforgiving blemishes. Celebrity esthetician Candace Marino swears by this drying lotion formulated with salicylic acid, calamine and sulfur.
Marino explains this calamine lotion will help soothe and cool the skin. She says the sulfur helps to purify the pores and the salicylic acid helps exfoliate the pores and remove oil buildup.
While it may be tempting, Marino says you should not shake this product before applying. She suggests taking a Q-tip, dip it all the way through the bottom and remove without stirring it. Marino then says to dab it on and sleep with it overnight.
Murad Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment
- Helps skin clear up quickly
- May cause burning
Size: .5 oz. | Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, oat extract, witch hazel
Made with salicylic acid, this lightweight spot treatment also reduces blemish size in just hours, said Sperling.
She also mentioned that many users claim they see fast results with this blemish fighter. According to a study from the brand, 97% of test subjects agreed that the appearance of their blemish improved after just one day of using the gel.
"This stuff works wonders. I noticed a huge difference shortly after I applied this to my pimples. I have pretty decent skin, just get a pimple every now and then, but this does the trick!" wrote one Sephora reviewer.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment
- Easy to apply
- May make skin itchy
Size: 1.3 oz. | Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, Lipo-hydroxy acid, glycerin, silica
While this La Roche-Posay acne treatment is definitely on the pricier side, Sperling thinks it's worth spending the extra cash. Like many of the other options on this list, this product's hero ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. It's also made with a unique lipo-hydroxy acid.
"This exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin cells and excess oil," Sperling said. "[It] is best for people with mild to moderate acne. It can be applied in one to three thin layers to the affected areas per day. You can see a difference in your skin within a week or so," she explained.
The best pimple patches, according to experts
An alternative to using creams, gels or serum spot treatments, these convenient patches not only have awesome blemish-fighting ingredients, but they'll also prevent you from picking or popping your pimples, which affects inflammation and healing time. Marino loves that you can just slap these pimple patches on if someone has an inflammatory acne spot and then just forget about them. She says these really help pierce the pores and get to the root of the problem.
Peace Out Acne Healing Dots
- Patches are sticky/don't fall off easily
- Helps get rid of pimples
- May be too thick for some users
Size: 20 healing dots | Key ingredients: Encapsulated salicylic acid, retinol, aloe vera leaf extract
"I like these because they include salicylic acid, which helps to remove oil and keratin debris from pores. They also include aloe vera, which is soothing and has anti-inflammatory properties," King noted about Peace Out's Acne Healing Dots.
Marino pointed out that you shouldn't leave one on for longer than eight hours at a time, but they're gentle enough to use continuously until the blemish clears up. If you don't want to wait until nighttime to throw on a pimple patch, the brand also offers "virtually invisible" Day Dots.
ZitSticka Killa Pimple Patches
- Easy to use
- Works quickly
- Some users say it's pricey for amount of patches
Size: 8 count | Key ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, oligopeptide-76, niacinamide, sodium hydroxide, salicylic acid
While Levin typically prefers full-face treatments to spot treatments, she does like these specialized hydrocolloid pimple patches from ZitSticka if you're in a bind and can't see a derm.
"It's a 24 freeze-dried micro darts bandage that self-dissolves over two hours in order to deliver acne-fighting ingredients with oligopeptide-76, a new novel peptide shown to be as effective as a traditional anti-inflammatory ingredient," she explained.
These patches also contain acne-fighting benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and anti-inflammatory vitamin B3. King also likes this as a spot treatment option because it's formulated with moisturizing hyaluronic acid.
Editor-loved acne spot treatments
Starface Hydro-Star Pink Star Pimple Patches
- Stick all day
- Helps pull out fluid
- Super cute
- Use tweezers to peel and apply
Size: 16 patches | Key ingredients: Hydrocolloid
"Like the Gen Z I am, I’m obsessed with Starface’s Hydro-Star pimple patches because they make me feel cute on the days when I wake up to a breakout," says Shop TODAY production associate Audrey Ekman.
"They help keep me from picking at the spot and work to suck out all the gunk without drying out my skin — overnight, I always see a huge difference in the size and redness of the blemish (and the proof on the back of the sticker... so grossly satisfying)! I find that they really stick all day/night, and I love this fun pink colorway that just launched," explains Ekman.
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch™ Original Patch
- Shrinks zits overnight
- Great for sensitive skin
- Very sticky
- May be painful to peel off
Size: 36 count | Key ingredients: Hydrocolloid
Senior editor Jess Bender doesn't regularly get pimples, but when she does, she says they are brutal in size and impossible to cover with makeup. "I’ve tried several types of hydrocolloid stickers over the years and this one is the only one that’s effective enough to tackle my hormonal breakouts," she explains.
"The adhesion on these are strong enough to stay on throughout the duration of my sleep, but they peel off gently without leaving irritation behind. If I do have to wear one during the day, its translucent enough to blend into my skin," shares Bender.
Origins Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Face Mask
- Great for all skin types
- Helps improve skin texture
- May irritate skin
Size: 2.5 oz. | Key ingredients: Glycerin, phenoxyethanol
Editorial assistant Madison San Miguel swears by this face mask as an acne spot treatment and has been using it for years. "I had terrible hormonal acne as a teen up until early college, and this was a quick remedy for treating stubborn acne. (The brand actually promises clearer skin in just seven days, if used twice a week, which I can attest to!)" she explains.
"It never burned nor irritated any breakout when I slept with it. (I advise leaving it on temporarily if using it as a spot treatment in case of sensitivity, not overnight like me) Instead, it quickly unclogged my pores, so after a day or two of use, my breakouts are noticeably smaller!" says San Miguel.
How we chose the best acne spot treatments
The Shop TODAY team rounded up the best acne spot treatments and pimple patches using a few methods: enlisting the recommendations of board-certified dermatologists, combing through hundreds of verified user reviews, and sharing a few editor favorites as well.
Meet the experts
- Dr. Rebecca Baxt, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey.
- Dr. Hadley C. King, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York who specializes in general, medical and surgical dermatology.
- Dr. Melissa Levin, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology.
- Candace Marino is a celebrity esthetician known as the LA Facialist.
- Dr. Neda Mehr, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in Newport Beach, California.
- Dr. Shari Sperling, MD, is a board-certified, New Jersey-based dermatologist.
