As a beauty editor, I often act as my friends’ resident beauty myth debunker, fielding questions like: Does rubbing castor oil on your belly button actually do anything? Will the Skims facial Wrap sharpen my jawline? Is my gel nail polish going to give me cancer? (A resounding no to all three.) At this point, there aren’t many weird internet beauty theories that surprise me. So when a windfall of videos claiming popping a pimple in a certain area of the face could lead to catastrophic outcomes (we’re talking blindness or death), I was ready to write it off. But something about this one in particular, in which a woman seemingly attributed her partial facial paralysis to a popped pimple, stopped me in my tracks. It just felt so…real. That zit, inflamed in the crease of her nose, somehow spoke to me. I could feel the pain radiating from the dimly lit screen. And I knew I would’ve popped it, too. But could it possibly lead to such a dire outcome?
A quick due-diligence search confirmed the unthinkable: The triangle of death, as it’s called, is real; so real it’s a topic taught in medical school.
To be clear, the facial triangle of death is not to be confused with the geopolitical one, which was an area south of Baghdad in Iraq marred by violence in the early aughts, or even the Bermuda Triangle, which is that mysterious zone in the Atlantic Ocean where ships and planes seemed to disappear into thin air.
This triangle of death, according to Santa Monica-based board-certified dermatologist Sonia Batra, MD, refers to the area on the face from the corners of the mouth to between the eyebrows. Right smack in the center of that triangle—under the surface of the skin—is the cavernous sinus, which houses essential nerves and vessels that carry blood back to the brain.
If the surface skin were to be infected as a result of, say, popping a pimple, the infection could theoretically spread, seep into the blood vessels, and, worst case scenario, lead to cavernous sinus thrombosis (the formation of blood clots), stroke, or death, says Teresa Song, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “This [triangular] area contains the angular and ophthalmic veins that supply the nose and the eyes, so infection can travel easily toward the brain compared to other parts of the body,” she says, adding that unlike most veins in the rest of the body, those in the face do not have valves to help keep blood moving toward the heart, which help ensure adequate delivery of oxygen and nutrients that fight infection and keep the body healthy.
So, yes, it’s possible that the pesky whitehead at the base of your nostrils—the one you popped without even a second thought—could ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions.
It sounds like something out of a horror movie. But Dr. Batra assures the triangle of death isn’t as scary as it sounds: “The risk of death from popping a pimple in the triangle of death is low, especially with modern hygiene practices and antibiotics.”
I, for one, still had some concerns. Especially given the number of pimples I’ve popped in that very triangle over the years. When I spoke to Jodi LoGerfo, MD, a doctor of nursing practice and a family nurse practitioner certified in family medicine and dermatology, I tried to level with her. Realistically, what are the odds of popping a pimple resulting in death or other serious risks?
“Well, realistically it is hard to say…everything is fine until it isn’t,” she warns. “So, it is impossible to say if you pop a pimple there, it will or will not result in death. I think it must be viewed as yes, there are risks when you pop a pimple in this area.”
All the experts I consulted agreed: While the chances of death are low (though not zero), the chance of localized infection in the area is far higher if a pimple is squeezed with unclean hands or tools.
Of course, the easiest way to avoid infection is by not popping your pimples to begin with. But if you must, keep an eye out for warning signs in the area, including increased redness, swelling, warmth, pain, and the development of pus, says Dr. Bastra. “Obviously if a pimple gets big enough and ends up causing problems, you should see a dermatologist or a doctor about it right away,” Sandra Lee, MD, a Los Angeles-based dermatologist you may know as Dr. Pimple Popper. "It's easy to treat a lot of these infections with [oral] antibiotics."
To minimize risk post-popping, Dr. LoGerfo suggests gently cleansing the area with an antimicrobial solution, applying benzoyl peroxide, and keeping hands off the area. That way, your triangle of death could be better known as the triangle of really clear, glowy skin. Has a nice ring to it, right?
More on acne treatments:
- 4 Steps for Getting Rid of a Cystic Pimple, Fast
- 12 Best Acne Spot Treatments to Instantly Minimize Zits
- The Forever Clear BBL Laser Treatment Cleared My Chronic Acne
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