If you're wondering whether that's a real possibility or an exaggeration designed to inspire shock, here's what you should know about the danger triangle. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Your lips aren't included in that area. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Instead, seek professional advice. Some conditions that cause skin rashes are very contagious. Should I be worried? Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. bleeding. These bacteria can quickly enter your body and cause an infection, and because of the proximity to critical portions of your brain, the infection can lead to serious complications quickly. "The cavernous sinus is the name of a large vein that drains blood to the brain, creating a connection from our outside to our inside," explained Dr. Zeichner. The earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better, Jalloh said. Jeremy Brauer, clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, explains that the veins here lead back to the cavernous sinus located in the brain. You can pop all the pimples you want on your forehead, or attack the acne on your chin with ruthless abandon, but leave the deadly triangle alone. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Hey so I had a white head on my upper lip for a few months, and it wasnt going away so I kind of squeezed it out. Even if you're past your teenage years, pimples can still pop up on your skin. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Mom reveals her vagina is better than ever after childbirth, Men have better sex with emotionally unstable women, First-time mom gives birth in nine minutes flat, Ex-anorexic qualifies for Bodybuilding World Championships, Science figures out that the snooze button actually ruins your day. Scared people buy more and think less rationally. The triangle of death, also called the danger triangle, is a specific area on your face where many medical professionals warn against popping pimples. Popping a pimple in the "death triangle" is dangerous is because it's near blood vessels with a direct link to areas of the skull where infections can spread rapidly and become serious, says Dr. Shamban. If you pop a pimple in the "triangle of death," you risk an infection that could travel to your brain and bloodstream. By Rebecca Jane Stokes Written on Jan 09, 2023. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours. Teenage girl, 19, suffers severe brain infection after popping a pimple Next, you should clean the skin on your face. There are other, more common types of infections in this area that you should take steps to avoid. Okay, just gonna be very honest with you. The triangle of death is the area of your face including your upper lip, nose, and between your eyebrows. Pimple patches seem cool, Ive heard of them before but never bought any. If you do, and the pimple still doesn't pop, that's a sign that it's not ready and that you should abort mission.) Hello, occasionally have small hard pimples below, popping hurts, they are hard pearl type which bleeds alot after finally coming out? However, infections are rare. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Circumstances would be extreme and truly a perfect storm," she says. Then, tone the area using witch hazel. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Just make sure everything is clean. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. If we pop a pimple with our dirty hands, it causes infections after which the veins form clots puts pressure on the brain, causing partial or full paralysis. So, how do we stay sane and grounded at this time? What Is the Danger Triangle on the Face? - Cleveland Clinic It's been 4 months. ), RELATED: 10 Really Weird Reasons You Have Bad Acne. However, septic cavernous sinus thrombosis can also lead to other more serious conditions like a brain abscess, a brain infection, damage to your facial nerves, paralysis of your eye muscles, meningitis, pneumonia, septic emboli, a staph infection, and even a stroke. Moisturize your skin regularly to prevent cracking or peeling. Breaking the skin's surface anywhere (on your face or body) poses a risk of bacteria entering the bloodstream, which is the main concern with the "danger triangle," she notes. You've been told over and over and over again to avoid popping your pimples, no matter how tempting they might look. If that happens, the veins that run behind your eye sockets may . Everything you need to know about triangle of death on face | Be Popping them can cause scarring and make the bump worse, you were warned. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Doctors pay special attention to infections in this area. Depending on which of these nerves is infected, you can develop paralysis in several parts of your face, including the eyes lids and mouth, and motor functions can be impaired, too. These types of infections are treatable with antibioticsand they would have to rage on for quite awhile before it could make its way to your brain. This is the zone known as the triangle of death, or the danger triangle of the face. Why Popping Pimples In The Triangle Of Death Is Dangerous - YourTango Why? Try: The Body Shop Tea Tree Targeted Gel (Buy It, $10, amazon.com) or Innbeauty Project Pimple Paste Overnight Blemish Drying Paste (Buy It, $15, sephora.com). While a deadly infection is within the realm of possibility, the effects of popping a zit in this area are usually not serious, she says. They're a bit expensive but I get starface patches. (, Dr. Shamban says you should always avoid popping zits, anywhere on your face. Since it was on my face, there was a huge risk of it spreading to my brain or my eyes, causing me to go blind., Wrights infection, which was likely caused by a dirty makeup brush, was in an area of the face known as the triangle of death.. But now I thought about and Im kinda worried. One such don't pertains to a particularly ominously-named region of your face: the "danger triangle.". Inflammation of the brain from bacterial infections can result in stroke, hearing loss, or permanent brain damage. In "Triangle of Death" what should I do. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Addressing acne in this area of the face should be handled with care. When it comes to acne, we all have certain spots where we are more likely to get a pimple. Left untreated an infection of the sinus cavity can also cause a total loss of vision, brain abscesses and meningitis. This Woman's Pimple-Popping Leads to Staph Infection, Then Goes Viral If you break that barrier, thats when things can turn deadly. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When they do, it can be tempting to squeeze the suckers once they've turned white in hopes of getting rid of them faster. This story has been shared 115,834 times. You can identify it by creating a triangle with your hands and touching the tip formed by your index fingers to the middle of your eyebrows and the bottom corners to the corners of your mouth, according to dermatologist Dr. Corey L. Hartman. Popping a pimple within . Important: The opinions expressed in WebMD Blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. My mom was hospitalized three times because her blood pressure was dangerously high. Overnight drying creams are also a great option, along with just plain old steam (from a steam facial machine or just in the shower) to help pores open without putting dangerous force on your face. 3. Warnings on social media claim you should never, ever pop pimples within the area for risk of causing death (yes, really). Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel. It's called that because it's the area that is closest and leads to your sinuses. In fact, many derive pleasure from watching others pop their pimples. Pimple Popping on Nose - What Is the Facial Triangle of Death? | Allure Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Is This Rash Contagious? Like most skin infections, if a person sees a swollen patch of skin that has pus, it is likely a person has an infection, Mohamed A. Jalloh, PharmD, an assistant professor of clinical sciences at Touro University California College of Pharmacy, told Healthline. Within an hour, her face was swollen and painful. I mean, it was already a part of you. Clean your face and keep and eye on the area. The Triangle of Death, also known as the Danger Triangle, stretches from the tip of the nose to a point on either side of the lips, roughly where dimples usually appear. When you get a zit slap bang in the middle of your face, your reaction is usually to squeeze it immediately. Maggie ONeill is a health writer and reporter based in New York who specializes in covering medical research and emerging wellness trends, with a focus on cancer and addiction. There are many triangles that weve been told to be wary of Bermuda, love, isosceles. But health experts have warned picking or popping pimples in this area could have potentially fatal consequences. This triangle on your face is so death-prone that science and medicine had to give it this kind of ridiculous-sounding name. The danger triangle: How squeezing spots can kill you (if you're very ThinkConservatively 3 yr. ago. Use a tissue to clean your nose, and clean any cuts or sores with a first-aid astringent like hydrogen peroxide. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Dermatologists recommend using ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and retinoids instead of popping. Even so, we think well be keeping away from the triangle of death from now on. At-home pimple popping is generally frowned upon by dermatologists, as it can lead to scarring and more acne. If you have a pimple, do NOT pop it, no matter how many zit-popping videos you watch! The triangle of death is the area of your face including your upper lip, nose, and between your eyebrows. Then, you should place a tissue between your skin and fingers to avoid bacteria passing into the blemish and gently extract the pimple by applying pressure on either side of the blemish, says Dr. Shamban. Hartman said the deeper the pimple and more infected it is, the more likely it is to lead to severe infection or death, though death is still rare. And if all else fails, see a dermatologist for help. But it's important to practice safely popping a pimple if you absolutely must take a go at it. Its best to get your acne treated., Learn about the differences between MRSA and acne. Additionally, Dr. Vij noted that you should ensure the spaces underneath your fingernails are clean since bacteria are good at hiding there. Dr. Pimple Popper Removed a 'Triangle of Death' Cyst on Her - Insider Everything seems to be happening at once. Popping a pimple in the 'triangle of death' could kill you The condition, known as Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis, kills 30 percent of those who contract it. A staph infection is one of the most common types of infection on this area of the body. Popping a pimple in this area can lead to septic cavernous sinus thrombosis.