Popping a pimple may seem harmless, but one woman is urging people to be careful after she ended up in urgent care after squeezing a blemish in the deadly ‘Triangle of Death.’
Alisha Monaco recently revealed on TikTok that she tried to pop a cyst pimple just below her nose, but ended up in urgent care when the area got infected.
The ‘triangle of death,’ where the zit was located, is the area between top of nose bridge to the sides of the mouth.
According to Cleveland Clinic, ‘It’s one place where you should never pop a pimple, as it can lead to an infection in your brain.’
In her now-viral video, Monaco explained that she popped the pimple, and within four hours, things got steadily worse as the area swelled and it became painful to touch.
She explained that it got so swollen that when she tried to smile, only one side of her face was able to.
Monaco told CTVNews she had tried to remove the blemish using a pimple poker, but knew something was wrong when her ears popped.
Within hours, Monaco’s condition had worsened and she developed symptoms of facial paralysis, so she knew that she needed medical help.
TikTok user Alisha Monaco tried to pop a pimple just below her nose, but ended up in urgent care when the area got infected (stock image)
‘I woke up four or five hours later and I just jumped up out of my bed because I could feel that I couldn’t even smile on that side of my face,’ she told the publication.
‘My eye was a little bit swollen, getting blurry. My ear was all foggy.’
Monaco went to urgent care, where she was prescribed four medications to threat the infection, with it ultimately taking three days to fully recover.
Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, MD, told the Daily Mail that the ‘Danger Death Triangle’ is located on an area of the face that has a unique blood supply which communicates closely with the brain.
‘This makes this danger zone a more vulnerable path for infection from skin to brain,’ Dr. Blyumin-Karasik explained.
‘So if we pick at the pimple in this danger zone, we may cause bacterial infection from the infected acne cyst to spread deeper into the skin and into this vulnerable blood stream.’
‘This can cause infection of brain tissues and potential cavernous sinus thrombosis or clot of the major vain from the brain,’ she continued. ‘This can present as fever, headache, visual changes and facial paralysis.’
Dermatologist Dr. Jodi Logerfo, from the Orentreich Medical Group, agreed, explaining that popping pimples in that area is ‘dangerous’ and puts you at risk for complications.
Experts warned against popping pimples in the ‘triangle of death’ – the area between top of nose bridge to sides of the mouth (stock image)
‘It is extremely dangerous and should be avoided due to the high risk of serious infection that can lead to blood clots, as well as the spread of infection through the bloodstream, and other serious health risks,’ she warned.
‘You should never squeeze or manipulate pimples or other lesions in this high risk area.’
Dr. Logerfo advised anyone who has what appears to be an infected pimple to seek immediate medical care.
‘This is even more urgent if you have a fever, visual or neurological changes, or are in severe pain,’ she urged.
‘You should also seek medical care quickly if your symptoms are progressing and worsening rapidly.’
To avoid complications, Dr. Logerfo said not to pop, squeeze, or use any sharp objects to drain pimples or cysts in this area, suggesting using appropriate topical treatments instead.
‘You should have good facial hygiene,’ she advised. ‘Wash your face twice daily (morning and evening) with a mild cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type.
‘Avoid using harsh products and do not exfoliate or scrub, which can cause further damage and infection.
‘Make sure you keep your makeup sponges, brushes, and any other tools clean to prevent infection.
‘Apply a moisturizer with nourishing hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid.
‘Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every 2 hours when outdoors,’ she concluded.
