The 15 Best Acne Spot Treatments of 2024, Expert-Approved

Type: Lotion | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, sulfur, and calamine | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There’s a reason this formula is one of the go-to spot treatments for celebrities and beauty editors alike, including here at Byrdie HQ. In short? It actually works (and fast!) to dry up whiteheads and reduce the appearance of pesky breakouts overnight. Dr. Levin cites the sulfur in this product as an ingredient with both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. “The sulfur and salicylic acid is a great combination,” she says.

Simply dab a bit onto the problem spot before bed, let it dry, and then hit the hay. When you wake up, rinse off the lotion and the spot should be significantly improved. It’s that easy. It can be drying, so make sure you only use a tiny bit and follow up with a moisturizer.

Type: Serum | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid | Size: 1.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

As cheap as this is, it’s also effective and gentle on skin—which is exactly what you’d hope to find in an acne treatment. The Ordinary’s solution contains acne-fighting salicylic acid as well as a milder form of witch hazel, an anti-inflammatory botanical extract that doesn’t over-dry skin. Thanks to its exfoliating and soothing properties, the solution clears blackheads, and whiteheads while reducing redness, even balancing oily skin.

Type: Patch | Active Ingredients: Hydrocolloid | Size: 24 patches | Cruelty-Free: Yes

These pimple patches from Cosrx are ideal for sucking the gunk out of pimples and healing picked-at skin. These patches are your friend when you get too enthusiastic about extracting a pimple and accidentally create a small wound, or if you’re always touching your face. The protective covering reduces bacteria transfer while healing the skin. The way they work is simple: Once you smooth on the patch, it gradually draws out all the oil and bacteria inside the blemish while keeping other contaminants out. Associate commerce editor Caitlyn Martyn always keeps these on hand in the event of a breakout. “They’re basically clear and are (almost) undetectable, so you can feel good about slapping one on and going about your day,” she adds. “It grows opaque as it clears out the pimple and a white dot becomes visible at the center to let you know when to remove it.”

Type: Gel | Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, probiotic extracts, licorice, niacinamide, azelaic acid, tea tree oil | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Nobody loves dark marks that exist as a constant reminder of the pimples that once were, and this effective spot treatment does an awesome job of getting rid of them. Licorice and niacinamide work to even hyperpigmentation, while benzoyl peroxide (a favorite ingredient of Dr. Levin’s) clears up acne fast. It also has tea tree oil to soothe the skin, and we especially love that it dries completely clear—so it’s perfect for day or night.

Type: Patch | Active Ingredients: Hydrocolloid | Size: 39 patches | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you find that pimple patches are really effective for you but you don’t like feeling self-conscious in the grocery store if you want to wear them while running errands, we highly recommend the practically invisible patches from Hero Cosmetics. They draw out pus from whiteheads just like their original hydrocolloid patches, but they’re much thinner and more seamless-looking on the skin. They are a bit harder to apply than the original ones given how delicate they are, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked.

Type: Lotion | Active Ingredients: Camphor, sulfur, zinc oxide | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For those times when an angry bump rears its head practically before your eyes, Renée Rouleau’s fast-acting acne spot treatment is invaluable. Specifically formulated for surface-infected blemishes, it uses a down-to-business approach with potent blemish-clearing ingredients like zinc oxide, sulfur, and camphor. We wish this came in a larger size so we could always have this blemish-fighting formula on hand.

Type: LED therapy device | Active Ingredients: Blue and red LED lights | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This FDA-cleared LED therapy device is unique compared to our other recommendations and is also a great alternative to creams and pimple patches. It’s powered by blue and red LED light for a two-pronged approach—blue light fights acne-causing bacteria while red light reduces inflammation and redness. Just place it directly onto your breakout spot, hold the power button, and keep it there for three minutes (the device will shut off automatically). Continue use and you’ll see a reduction in redness, inflammation, and pimple size within a few days.

Type: Gel | Active Ingredients: Complex of maclura bioflavonoids, tea tree oil, and zinc oxides | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If dark spots have got you down, consider reaching for this solution from Dr. Barbara Sturm. This spot treatment is designed to reduce the appearance of dark spots, redness, and spots from the very first application. Tea-tree oil is known for its pimple-fighting abilities and anti-inflammatory properties so we love to see that ingredient paired with the zinc oxides that will protect your skin from sun damage.

Type: Lotion | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, phytosteroid | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

People who suffer from cystic breakouts know just how painful they can be. If you’re looking for an over-the-counter product to help heal a deep pimple, this is a fantastic option. It’s formulated with salicylic acid, which Dr. Levin notes is a beta hydroxy acid that both exfoliates and helps unclog pores. It also contains amino acid technology to target bad bacteria and phytosteroid to hydrate, soothe, and reduce redness. Unlike a lot of spot treatments, we love that this one isn’t overly drying on the skin.

Type: Cream | Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, lipo-hydroxy acid, glycerin | Size: 1.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Blackheads overstaying their welcome? Give this La Roche Posay cream a whirl. Dr. Levin says, “This is my go-to benzoyl peroxide product recommendation and it also has a gentle but effective exfoliating ingredient in the lipo-hydroxy acid.” It’s actually a derivative of salicylic acid and has skin-renewing properties and it’s balanced out with glycerin, which hydrates the skin. It’s also fast-absorbing, affordable and oil-free.

Type: Lotion | Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, bisabolol, allantoin | Size: 2.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you notice that your acne also causes redness and irritation, this Paula’s Choice treatment is one to consider. With a mix of ingredients to target acne (benzoyl peroxide), calm redness (allantoin), and soothe skin (bisabolol), you’ll find this product not only helps to shrink those zits but also reduce any visible signs that there was ever a pimple in the first place.

Type: Cream | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, tea tree oil, niacinamide | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If visible redness and irritation bother you even more than the zits themselves, we recommend this Caudalie product to address two birds with one…cream. Powerful salicylic acid combats acne, tea tree oil purifies the origin of the spot, and niacinamide rounds out this ingredient trio by calming redness and tightening pores. Plus, the formula is tinted green to add an additional visible color-correcting property while the ingredients work beneath the surface.

Type: Cream | Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, glycerin | Size: 1.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If your skin requires some extra TLC but you still want the benefit of a highly effective ingredient to target acne like benzoyl peroxide, Dr. Levin suggests this treatment from Avène. She says, “this is my recommendation for a spot treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide for those with more sensitive skin.” She cites the addition of glycerin and thermal spring water as the hydrating ingredients that balance out the benzoyl peroxide, which tends to result in dry skin, making it more tolerable for those of us who tend to experience sensitivity in response to acne treatments.

Type: Gel | Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, allantoin | Size: 0.33 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Proactiv has been a top name in the acne game for good reason: their products work. We love that this formula can help anyone dealing with unwelcome blemishes, from teens to adults. Once again we come across this ingredient pairing of benzoyl peroxide to zap zits, balanced out with allantoin to moisturize and soothe skin. It’s simple and effective—now we just need it in a bigger tube.

Type: Pimple patch | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, hydrocolloid, niacinamide | Size: 8 in a pack | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The only thing worse than waking up and realizing a pimple has appeared out of nowhere is when you can feel it coming. Instead of waiting for the inevitable, we now have a way to stop acne in its tracks. The Peace Out Skincare Early Stage Acne Dots are made with microneedles to attack blemishes beneath the skin’s surface and prevent a zit from seeing the light of day. These tiny but powerful pimple patches are made with self-dissolving microneedles, hydrocolloid polymer technology, and salicylic acid.