My pre-teen daughter, who is approaching those years when hormonal changes wreak havoc with the loveliest of children, and the mildest expression thereof is facial pimples, informs me that toothpaste is a treatment for said eruptions.
I was quite amazed. Foremostly that she knew something that I didn’t. But also that there is a cheap treatment available. My girl, God bless her cotton socks, needs 15 different face creams, hair creams, underarm sprays and leg moisturisers, and she’s only 11. I was getting ready to try surgical alcohol on her pre-pubescent pustulous eructations or, failing that, some of the flagon of sherry from the local booze barn. Not much difference there.
There is some disagreement regarding whether toothpaste does actually work, though on careful reading, I would say, yes it does. The problem is that it may work too well on some skin types, affecting not only the pimple but also the surrounding skin, leaving a burn mark or scab. Not cool.
Apparently, the menthol or alcohol (check the ingredient list) in the toothpaste is the active ingredient that does the work. The less other stuff in there, the better, as there is less to irritate the skin. The active ingredient burns off the pimple, which is usually covered in thinner skin, opening it up and drawing out the impurity. The danger is when it burns off the surrounding skin as well. Toothpaste may well be too harsh for sensitive skin.
I wasn’t aware that toothpaste has alcohol in it. I have decided that, in the interest of dental hygiene, I need to brush my teeth not only morning and night, but after every meal, snack, after speaking on the telephone, after drinking, and definitely after kissing. Hmm. Perhaps instead of kissing.