Popping Pimples/Spots Can Kill You

Popping pimples/spots is strangly satisfying.

It’s also really popular on social media and Youtube with people watching huge spots being popped and see all the pus oozing out.

But dermatologists say not to engage in at-home pimple extraction — bursting your pimples can cause breakouts and scar your skin and scarily it can also kill you.

Wait, what, kill you?

There is a part of your face called the “danger triangle” and popping spots within it is, can be seriously dangerous. The triangle is the area between the corners of your mouth and the bridge of your nose — this is the area that has your sinuses behind it. It also contains nerves and blood vessels that transport blood to the brain and is unfortunately one of the commonest place to have spots.

So, how can this kill you?

If you pop a spot within the danger triangle, the skin can become infected and this infection can permeate these blood vessels. If that happens, the veins that run behind your eye sockets may form a clot to contain the infection. That clot can put pressure on the brain, you kind of need this to live, and can lead to paralysis or even death.

This condition is called Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis. It kills up to 30% of people who get this condition.

Any spots outside on the danger triangle are A-Okay to pop away (if you don’t mind a scar)

Can’t stop, won’t stop popping

Dermatologists say that popping pimples within your face’s danger triangle can cause infection, but it’s far more likely you’ll experience facial scarring. In order for the condition to truly kill you, the infection would have to be significant and you would need to purposefully avoid treating it.

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