We’ve all been there: you popped a pimple and now it’s infected and swollen. Now what do you do? Read on for answers to common questions about infected acne, including:

• How can I reduce swelling from an infected pimple on my face?
• What products will help heal an infected zit?
• Can my dermatologist help me with an infected popped pimple?
• How can I keep infected acne from coming back?

If you have an infected pimple on your face, chances are you’re looking for relief—and fast. The good news is there are a number of acne products and spot treatments to help heal an infected zit. Read on for seven ways to help, from acne-clearing spot treatments to high-tech, zit-zapping devices.

1. Ice the Infected Pimple to Reduce Swelling

To help reduce swelling and pain, wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth or paper towel and apply it to the infected pimple on your face for five to ten minutes. You can repeat this twice with a ten-minute-long break from icing in between.

2. Use an Acne-Clearing LED Device

Wish you could zap your infected pimple with the push of a button? It’s not quite that simple, but there are actually a number of LED light devices on the market that are FDA-cleared to help treat acne. These handheld battery-powered devices feature medical-grade blue light to kill the bacteria that causes acne, to help heal your infected zit.

Try: the Dr Dennis Gross Skincare SpotLite Acne Treatment Device, which uses LED light to calm inflamed, red pimples and help them resolve faster. You can also use it to help treat a pimple in its early stages to keep it from becoming red and swollen. A treatment cycle for one infected pimple takes just three minutes, and the device automatically shuts off after each treatment, so you can make the most of its battery life.

3. Dab on a Spot Treatment

A medicated spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide can help kill the bacteria that caused the infected zit. (Remember benzoyl peroxide can bleach clothing; read more about how benzoyl peroxide works in our recent blog post.) Alternatively, because of its antibacterial properties, tea tree oil is an effective, natural acne-fighting ingredient. A spot treatment containing sulfur, camphor or resorcinol can also help an infected pimple heal by absorbing oil, which helps dry the infected pimple and put it on the path to healing.

Try: PCA SKIN Acne Cream, powered by 5% benzoyl peroxide to help reduce acne bacteria and excess oil and tea tree oil, which acts as a natural antibacterial agent. This formula also contains lactic acid to help prevent the dry, flaky patches that benzoyl peroxide treatments can sometimes leave behind. Other recommendations for an infected pimple on your face include Epionce Purifying Spot Gel, which contains sulfur and resorcinol, and Clinicians Complex Acne Drying Lotion, formulated with sulfur and camphor.

4. Stick on a Hydrocolloid Patch

For a popped pimple that’s infected and swollen or oozing, a hydrocolloid patch to help bring relief overnight. These tiny, dot-shaped bandages work by drawing excess fluid and pus out of the infected zit, allowing it to heal. It will also keep an infected pimple on your face clean and covered, so you’re less likely to touch it or pick at it.

Try: the Patchology Breakout Box, which contains a 24-pack of Whitehead-Absorbing Hydrocolloid Dots to use on pimples with a whitehead or infected popped pimples. It also contains a 24-pack of Pimple Shrinking Salicylic + Tea Tree Dots, best applied when you first see signs of a pimple forming, and three pore-purifying Blackhead-Eliminating Nose Strips.

5. Apply a Warm Compress to the Infected Pimple

If you see a whitehead forming on a swollen pimple, try to resist the urge to squeeze or pop it, as that may lead to further infection or scarring. Instead, apply a warm compress to help it release pus and heal on its own. Just wet a clean washcloth with warm water and gently press it over the infected pimple a few times daily.

6. Visit Your Dermatologist

“If a pimple is clearly infected, you will need to see a dermatologist,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Your doctor can decide whether antibiotics are necessary to clear up the infection, and they can also make sure you’re not mistaking what looks like an infected, swollen pimple for something more serious, such as a staph infection.” If you have a particularly bad pimple and an important event coming up, your dermatologist might recommend a cortisone shot to help your pimple heal in hours rather than days.

7. Prevent Infected Acne From Coming Back

Stop infected zits before they start by using a skin care regimen with salicylic acid, which penetrates your skin to dissolve the dead skin cells that could be clogging your pores and leading to acne.

Try: LovelySkin LUXE Clarifying Gel Cleanser and LovelySkin LUXE Acne Care 9%, a one-two punch for preventing acne. Start with the LovelySkin LUXE Clarifying Gel Cleanser, which helps keep pores clear with salicylic acid, glycolic acid and afaLUXE, a dermatologist-developed molecule that encourages cell turnover. Next, apply a thin layer of LovelySkin LUXE Acne Care Gel 9%, which uses afaLUXE to balance oil production and prevent future breakouts.

Looking for more acne prevention tips? Read up on the best cleansers, toners and treatments for acne-prone skin in our recent blog post.