A doctor has issued a stark health warning about the risks of popping pimples in a sensitive part of the face, cautioning that the habit could, in rare cases, prove deadly. In a video shared on TikTok, Dr. Suraj Kukadia, known online as Dr. Sooj, explained the dangers of what medical professionals call the “triangle of death.”
The area spans from the bridge of the nose down to the corners of the mouth. “Do not pop a pimple in the triangle of death. Don’t do it, it could kill you,” Dr. Sooj told his 290,000 followers. He clarified that while such outcomes are highly unlikely, the risks are serious enough to warrant caution.
“I mean, it probably won’t, but is it really worth the risk?” he added. Dr. Sooj explained that veins in this part of the face drain into the cavernous sinus, a deep vein inside the skull located near the brain. “Now if you pop a pimple in this area, you are opening up that area to new bacteria, and if it gets infected, that bacteria can spread into those veins,” he said.
“In very rare cases, this can cause a cavernous sinus thrombosis, which is a blood clot or an infection in the brain, and it can be life-threatening.” He urged people to seek urgent medical attention if a blemish in the area becomes swollen, red, or painful, particularly if accompanied by fever or spreading facial swelling. “Now most pimples won’t do this, but it’s why we always advise against picking in that zone,” he said.
“So please resist the urge to squeeze, you can instead treat it with topical creams, warm compresses, and let it settle, your brain will thank you for it.” Dr. Alok Vij, a dermatologist writing for the Cleveland Clinic, echoed the warning. “There is the possibility for a facial infection to become an infection that impacts the rest of your body.
Thankfully, it’s relatively unlikely,” he wrote. “But whenever there’s a violation of the skin and interaction with bacteria, there’s always a possibility for infection, which can lead to greater health concerns.” The warning came days after Michigan woman Alisha Monaco shared her experience of severe complications from squeezing a blemish in the same region.
In a TikTok video, Monaco, 32, described “excruciating pain” and swelling that left her struggling to smile or talk. “I knew I’d messed up,” she admitted, recounting how the infection spread quickly across her face.