If you find yourself suddenly noticing a spot that's appeared on your face overnight, it might be tempting to pop it to get rid of it quickly. However, health experts strongly advise against this, warning that this usually makes the problem worse or, in some rare cases, fatal. Speaking in a TikTok video, London-based GP Dr Sermed Mezher highlighted the dangers of this common habit.
He said: "We've all heard that we should never pop our pimples. But it's even more important if it's done in this area [the triangle of death] and I'm going to explain why." According to Dr Mezher, when you pop pimples, you are inadvertently exposing the broken area of skin to potential new infections from your environment.
He went on to talk about a common misconception about the white gunk that is often flushed out during a pop. As reported by The Express , he said: "The white stuff in the pimple isn't actually infection necessarily - it's something called neutrophils which are dead white cells that have been fighting infection. It's not like you're letting any infection out and it could even cause scarring.
" Using visual aids to support his advice in a TikTok video, Dr Mezher shows exactly where the so-called 'triangle of death' is located. It is the area around the nose and above the upper lip. He warns: "This area isn't called the triangle of death for no reason either.
If you get skin infection that happen over here, they actually have a direct route to your brain through your venous drainage.