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When faced with a new facial pimple, you have an ultimatum: top pop, or not to pop?
But when it comes to zits located in the center of the face ‘triangle of death’, it’s better to leave them and let them heal on their own, experts say.
Also known as the Danger Triangle, this area stretches from the tip of the nose to a point on either side of the lips, roughly where dimples usually appear.
A dermatologist has revealed how popping a pimple within the triangle of death can lead to serious infections.
NYC-based Dr. Mark Strom said: ‘Popping pimples in the center of the face can be particularly dangerous.
‘The area of the face from the bridge of the nose down to the corners of the mouth has veins that connect directly to the brain via a blood vessel called the cavernous sinus.’
Introducing bacteria from your fingers into the veins running behind our eye sockets could cause the germs to travel to the brain.
This could put pressure on the brain leading to partial or full paralysis and, in some cases, even death.
The ‘triangle of death’ stretches from the tip of the nose to a point on either side of the lips, roughly where dimples usually appear.Left untreated, an infection of the sinus cavity can also lead to a total loss of vision, brain abscesses and meningitis.
Experts have warned that in worst-case scenarios, if inflammation from a spot spreads to the inner part of the brain, there is potential for blindness and massive stroke.
The condition, known as Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis by medical professionals, kills 30 per cent of those who contract it.
The chances of this happening are ‘slim to none’, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take every possible precaution when dealing with spots.
Dr Lee recommends dabbing hazel onto stubborn spots in the Danger Triangle to disinfect the area and reduce swelling.
But while picking at skin inside the triangle can certainly lead to grave infections, it is far more likely you’ll experience significant facial scarring as infections must be left to develop in severity before they become life threatening.
Controversial celebrity medic Dr Mehmet Oz cautioned that even plucking a hair from inside your nose can leave you susceptible to infection within the triangle, as a tiny volume of blood leaks out from the disrupted follicle.
To avoid this, Dr Erich Voigt of New York University suggests trimming nose hairs rather than plucking them.
