Hard pimples are the most painful form of acne that can cause permanent scars on your face. These are also referred to as cystic acne as these are associated with the formation of cysts or nodules. These infections occur deep inside the skin surface and affect the surrounding tissues. As a result, there is pus formation inside the pores and the infection spreads to the surrounding tissues. Hard pimples can occur on any part of your body, like the face, back, neck, shoulders, thighs, etc. They can sometimes be very painful. Scratching on the affected skin can lead to an infection. It can also lead to the formation of nodules, which are solid, large, painful, wound-like spots that grow deep in the skin. Hard pimples could be caused due to multiple reasons such as overactive oil glands, stress, smoking, excess dead cells, unhealthy diet, etc.

• Unhealthy Diet: If you consume junk or processed food, especially fried, oily food, it can cause the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which would ultimately give rise to acne.
• Low Intake of Water: The human body requires at least 2 - 3 liters of water every day. Keeping yourself hydrated can help improve the quality of your skin very effectively.
• Sugar Intake: Chocolates or any food containing excess sugar produces heat in the body. This leads to boils, pimples, breakouts, etc.
• Oil Glands: It is believed that oily skin is a perfect condition for pimples.
• Stress: Stress increases the level of androgen hormones, thus causing breakouts.

The Dos

• Drink a lot of water (2 - 3 liters) everyday.
• Eat a lot of fresh fruits and uncooked vegetables.
• Fruits with high water content would be of great help.
• Getting adequate sleep is also very important.
• Use an oil-free face wash and wash your face at regular intervals. This will also help in keeping your pores clean, thus reducing pimples.
• Drink green tea, or use products that have green tea as an ingredient.
• Go for a face clean-up every 15 - 20 days for reducing whiteheads and blackheads.
• Stay physically active, and perform physical activities that make you sweat. Be it the gym or any kind of sport, sweating is good for the skin.
• Cleansing and toning is also helpful.
• Apply tea tree oil, leave it overnight and rinse in the morning. This will help in reducing scars and will keep your skin healthy.

The Don'ts

• Do not pop pimples or prick them with a needle or any sharp object.
• Do not eat a lot of spicy food.
• Reduce the intake of alcohol.
• Limit the amount of chocolates and sugar intake in your diet. If possible, eliminate it from your diet completely.
• Do not stress. Relax and keep a calm mind.
• Cut down on the intake of caffeine, cream fat, cocoa, butter, margarine, etc.
• Make sure the products you use for your hair, like styling gels, etc., do not come in contact with your skin. The chemicals are bad for sensitive skin.
• After any exercise, play or any physical activity that makes you sweat, do not continue wearing those sweaty clothes for a long time.

Pimples can be treated in several ways. Using an oil-free face wash, keeping your skin and pores clean, following a healthy diet, etc., are easy ways of treating pimples. The safest way is to consult a dermatologist or a skin specialist. If your pimples are under the skin surface, it is best to consult a dermatologist. Home Remedies If you already have pimples, you can still follow the aforementioned measures to prevent the occurrence of more pimples. Also, do not pop the current ones as that might cause more pimples to erupt at the same spot.

• Take 1 clove and powder it. Mix it with about 2 - 3 drops of milk or olive oil. Then apply this mixture on the pimple and leave it for 15 - 20 minutes before you wash it off.
• Mix ¼ tsp. turmeric powder with 2 tsp. milk and apply it on the pimple. Rinse well with water or rose water after it dries.

Ways to Reduce the Redness

• The easiest way to reduce redness is by rubbing 1 cube of ice on the spot. Place the ice cube over the spot for about a minute. The spot will vanish for a while. This would work best if you have a date, party or wedding to attend.
• All you need is onion and rose water. Grate 1 onion. After grating, squeeze the juice out of it. Apply this juice over pimples, and leave for 10 - 15 minutes. Then dip a cotton ball in the rose water and wipe off the onion juice with it. (Onions help reduce redness, pimple burns and pain due to the enzymes present in them.)

Remedy for Scars and Blemishes

• Take 1 lemon and cut it into halves. Rub 1 half over the blemish and rinse with water after 10 - 15 minutes. (You might feel a tingling sensation because of the acid content in lemons.) Lemon works wonders over dark spots and blemishes. However, don't expect the blemish to resolve overnight.
• Apply aloe vera gel (freshly scooped out from the aloe vera leaf) twice a day. Leave it on for half an hour and rinse with water.
• Take 1 tbsp. of honey, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tbsp. milk, and 1 tbsp. almond oil. Mix them and apply it over acne scars. Rinse with water after it dries up.

Treating Pockmarks If you have popped your pimple, it must have left a scar or pit behind. These pits are also known as pockmarks. Pockmarks can stay for a lifetime. The best remedy for them is honey. Apply honey over the marks and leave for 10 - 15 minutes. Then rinse it off with water. Honey helps in making the skin smoother. Hence, it smooths out pockmarks making them invisible after a while.

• Wash your face and keep it clean at all times. This includes - not touching your face as much as possible, using clean pillow cases, covering your face whenever you get out in the dust.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Do not eat a lot of processed food or oily food.
• Drink a lot of water and include green tea in your diet.
• Use a good moisturizer after every bath. A toner like rose water will also help improve the condition of your skin effectively.

Scars that are left behind can sometimes take years to disappear. So, don't expect miracles. Do make lifestyle-related changes and follow a skin care regimen to prevent acne. If your skin is very sensitive, consult a dermatologist before implementing any of the aforementioned home remedies. Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.