Everyone who has seen “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” knows about toothpaste and acne. In fact, people who haven’t seen the movie tend to know the folklore about acne and toothpaste. Here’s the truth - toothpaste can help for occasional spots, but for full blown acne sufferers it probably isn’t going to help.

Toothpaste works to dry out the oil underneath the skin which is causing the blemish. It works best when you spot a blemish forming and put the toothpaste on it overnight. It has to be normal toothpaste, not a gel type. It also cannot be a baking soda-based toothpaste. However, for occasional pimples, toothpaste can work wonders overnight. Why overnight? At night your skin works on repairing the damage done to it during the day. If you put the toothpaste on overnight, the acne will heal itself while the skin is healing itself. Also, wearing toothpaste on your face during the day can be a ridiculous looking thing.

However, it probably won’t work for people with chronic acne. Chronic acne can be cause by so much more than simple oil or pore blockage. there can be bacteria and viruses involved, or the acne can be a symptom of a deeper medical condition. For these people, toothpaste will simply be another in a string of aggravating non-working home remedies.

If you are facing a chronic acne condition, or one that severly discolors your face, you need to go see a doctor.