I almost never get pimples but last time I did, I put toothpaste on it and left it on for the rest of the night. When I washed it off the next morning, my skin was cracked and it really hurt! The pimple didn't go away and I looked weird for the rest of the week. So does toothpaste really work for pimple and can it harm your skin?

The thing about using toothpaste on zits is that it’s not a miracle treatment. It works on some people but not others, and some pimples but not others. While it can be a good fix, your best bet is sticking to a spot treatment containing salicylic acid and/or benzoyl peroxide.

A warning about toothpaste: Many of the chemicals that keep your teeth healthy can really irritate your skin. It’s also incredibly drying, which is probably why your skin cracked. If you can’t resist the urge to dab a bit of toothpaste on a pimple, grab a tube that doesn’t contain whitening agents. Or better yet, the next time you’re at the store, just toss a spot treatment into the cart. You can find them for under 10 bucks at drugstores.