There’s a special hell that is a ripe pimple cropping up in or around your nose. These intruders can be big, painful, and let’s face it, total eyesores. But before you even think about giving one of those suckers a good squeeze, you should know that there’s a reason—a few, actually—why you shouldn’t mess with nose zits.
Popping a pimple anywhere usually isn’t a good idea (you can read more about that here). But when it comes to your nose in particular, the stakes are considerably higher—so much so that experts have dubbed the region from your nasal bridge to the corners of your mouth the triangle of death or danger triangle, Mamina Turegano, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Sanova Dermatology in New Orleans, tells SELF.
The good news is that you probably won’t die after going to town on that annoying nostril bump in front of your bathroom mirror, Dr. Turegano says. Still, we strongly suggest you keep reading to learn why, exactly, this area of your face has earned its ominous nickname.
What is the triangle of death?
Imagine a triangle with these three points: One at the top of your nose, and one at each corner of your mouth. Yep, everything inside that shape is the danger zone, Kiyanna Williams, MD, board-certified dermatologist and staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF.
“This area is unique because there are a lot of blood vessels there that are connected to the brain,” Dr. Williams explains. Specifically, she’s referring to a group of veins in the cavernous sinus, a region of the skull behind the eye sockets. An infection in the triangle of death (from a popped pimple or otherwise) can potentially travel through these blood vessels, which can lead to life-threatening conditions like meningitis, an infection of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST), a clot that restricts blood flow to the brain.
Yes, these scenarios sound incredibly scary, but don’t panic: Getting a deadly infection from poking at a nose zit “is an extreme case,” Dr. Williams says, “but that’s why this part of the face, compared to the cheeks, for instance, is more high risk.”
Why you shouldn’t pop a pimple on your nose (or anywhere inside the “danger triangle”).
CST worries aside, there are much more probable outcomes you’ll want to avoid. For starters, you might make your blemish even angrier if you don’t leave it the heck alone, Dr. Turegano says. That’s because the force from squeezing can increase inflammation, leading to even more pain or swelling, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
Not to mention, you’re also pushing and spreading the bacteria from inside your zit to nearby areas, which can cause new pimples to show up in those places, too, Dr. Turegano adds.
Putting pressure on your face by poking and picking is also a recipe for acne scarring, Dr. Williams says, especially if you’re dealing with tender cystic bumps. Think about it: You’re causing physical trauma to an already irritated spot, which can increase inflammation. In response to this injury, your body will try to heal the wound by releasing melanin (molecules responsible for skin pigment), potentially resulting in hyperpigmentation (a.k.a. dark spots), Dr. Turegano explains. Even with surface-level whiteheads, squeezing can still increase inflammation and, therefore, potentially lead to scarring, she adds.
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All that to say: Yes, it sucks to have a pesky nose pimple, but the mark you could create by messing with it will probably stick around a whole lot longer.
You could get an infection—possibly, a deadly one.
As we said, an infected zit is relatively rare (and a lethal one is even rarer), but it’s still a risk to take seriously. When you create an open wound—a likely scenario if you rupture a deeper, cystic pimple, in particular—bacteria can get inside that opening, Dr. Turegano explains. “If you were to get an infection [in the triangle of death] and it happened to spread, it could go down those blood vessels [in the cavernous sinus] connected to the brain and cause larger problems,” Dr. Williams adds, like a stroke, for example, vision loss, or yep, death.
“A serious complication like this would only really happen if you popped a pimple and had a very aggressive bacterial strain get into the bloodstream, which fortunately is very rare,” Dr. Turegano clarifies. But even if you get an infection that isn’t life-threatening, you’re still likely to experience swelling and discomfort, Dr. Williams says. So it’s safe to say the temporary relief of popping an obnoxious nose blemish isn’t worth the health risks.
All that said, there’s no need to panic if you popped a pimple around your nose.
“I wouldn’t freak out if you popped a zit in the triangle of death,” Dr. Turegano says. “In most cases, the repercussions aren’t that serious or deadly.” As noted above, hyperpigmentation or a mildly inflamed spot are much more probable outcomes than an infection.
That said, both dermatologists say you should definitely go to urgent care or the ER (or your primary care provider or dermatologist, if they can see you right away) if you experience these signs of infection: fever, chills, swelling, or skin discoloration like redness (depending on your skin tone) that’s spreading to your eyes, say, or cheeks. A doctor can assess the severity of the situation and potentially prescribe oral or (in extreme cases) IV antibiotics, to get the infection under control, Dr. Turegano says.
The next time you’re tempted to poke at that little ball of pus, try using an acne patch or spot treating it with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid instead, both experts suggest. This can help your zit heal faster and minimize the potential for scarring or infection. Another option to consider for deep cystic bumps that just won’t budge is a cortisone shot, which a dermatologist can inject to help flatten painful nodules within three days.
“Of course, nobody likes waiting for a pimple to just go away,” Dr. Williams says. “But the fact of the matter is that the less you bother it, the better it is in the long run for your skin and your health.”
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