People are prone to ‘popping pimples’ in an effort to get rid of them quicker. However, now some people are sounding the alarm over the pimple-popping habit you might have.
Keep reading to learn more.
Lish Marie noticed a cyst-like pimple near her nose and decided like many people do upon seeing a simple, to give it a squeeze and pop it.
Only a few hours later, she found herself in an urgent care as she was doled out four prescriptions. The mother of three learned that her pimple popping had not been as innocent as she had first thought it to be.
According to some medical officials, the area she popped the pimple in is referred to as the ‘triangle of death.’ This is an area of the face where if you pop a pimple, there is a chance that an infection can spread straight to your brain!
She made a TikTok video about the entire ordeal where she popped the pimple just below her nostril, not thinking much of it. She recalls that just a few hours later, she began to experience facial swelling.
When she attempted to smile, only one side of her face would lift while the other would stay frozen. She was also experiencing ‘extreme pain’ in her face, where the swelling was localized.
She headed to an urgent care facility where doctors tended to her.
She was prescribed four medications, which included antibiotics and steroids, which would help counter the infection. Luckily, she had sought medical intervention quickly because the pimple she had popped happened to lie in the ‘triangle of death’ area.
“I think I caught mine extremely quick, within hours, so I’m on a ton of meds,” she said.
Just a day later she was already feeling better. And three days after the ordeal, she was back to normal.
Doctors have shared warnings with people over popping pimples in the “triangle of d*ath”
This area is on the face and runs the risk of potentially releasing bacteria to the brain which can lead to serious healthy complications.
According to Dr. Mark Strom, a dermatologist, if you have a pimple in the facial zone, which includes the bridge of your nose to the corners of your mouth, you should not pop it, as this area sits on veins that connect directly to your brain.
“Popping pimples in the center of the face can be particularly dangerous. Squeezing the pimples leaves a small wound where bacteria can enter the bloodstream, leading to infection,” he said.
“The area of the face from the bridge of the nose down to the corners of the mouth has veins that connect directly to the brain via a blood vessel called the cavernous sinus,” he further added.
According to Dr. Strom, if you pop a pimple in this area, it leaves an ‘open wound’ which bacteria can use to enter your bloodstream directly.
This can lead to an infection which can then be carried to the brain. If further complications arise, you can fall victim to blindness, stroke or even paralysis. In extreme cases, the infection can also be fatal.
If a pimple has to be popped that lies in this area, Dermatologist Dr. Mamina Turegano says the area of the pimple, as well as the hands popping it, must be sufficiently sterilized.
“Then poke the pimple with a diabetic lancet, which has a very tiny needle, to open the surface with a small prick that “won’t cause too much damage,” she said.
After this, pressure should be applied with two cotton swabs to help absorb the pimple.
“When popping a pimple, it’s very important that you’re not applying a lot of pressure; otherwise, you’re gonna get a lot more inflammation and result in scarring,” she said, but she also stressed that people should not take risks with pimples located in the ‘triangle of death.’
Share this with others to let them know about this risky move when it comes to pimples.
