# What is this thing on my face?!?!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813 "2003-01-25T04:34:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/21 "2003-01-26T16:04:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*What’s weird is, since I started using plain ordinary bar soap on my face (Irish Spring), I haven’t been getting NEARLY as many zits as I used to using those facial cleansers. \*\* Irish Spring is an antibacterial soap…and thus it kills the bugs responsible for zits. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/22 "2003-01-26T16:26:32Z")
Ya know, with all the threads on this Board that have people oozing pus & green glop from various parts of their bodies, you’d think we were a freakin’ leper colony! OK—who dropped their nose? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/23 "2003-01-26T17:20:58Z")
I had one of those tumor pimples last week. I was patient, difficult as that was, and waited. And waited. Friday morning I woke up, and the thing had come to a head. I leaned in close to the mirror, squeezed, and KA-BLAMMO! Not only did I hear it pop, but it splattered on the mirror. Ahhh, sweet victory. Time to put another notch in my tube of Cleocin. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/24 "2003-01-26T18:30:27Z")
Ok, have we done _ANYTHING_ about getting a barfing smilie already? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/25 "2003-01-26T19:22:45Z")
I remember the first “underground” zit I ever got–nudging a nerve and everything. Painful. Being young and naive, I tried to squeeze the pus out, figuring that it was the pressure causing the pain and if I relieved the pressure the pain would go away. I couldn’t get everything out. So I made my Mom come into the bathroom to try and finish the job. (Mom’s have the worst job sometimes. I really appreciate my Mom.) SHE couldn’t get everything out, either, and the pain caused by the pressure from her trying to squeeze it nearly made me black out. Literally. So she told me to leave it alone and let it scab over, and then to pull the scab off in about 2 days, because the pus core would attach to the scab. I did this thing. Sure enough, this hard, yellowish lump o’ stuff was attached to the scab when I pulled it off. Pain from pressure from pimple instantly relieved. Put some neosporin on it and it healed up in a couple of days. I still use that trick because, for whatever reason, I find it more icky to look at a pimple than I do to look at a scab. And at 38, I still get pimples. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/26 "2003-01-26T21:54:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alice\_in\_wonderland \* > _ **IT’S A HUGE, MASSIVE, PANGAIA SIZED PIMPLE THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY!!!** _ > \*\* Pangea, **alice** my dear. Please keep track of your spelling of the names of hypothetical supercontinents. And may I say, you look lovely in that baby-blue frock, with the white lacy apron. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![1ofthegulls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/bcef8e/32.png) [@1ofthegulls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1ofthegulls)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/27 "2003-01-26T22:18:12Z")
I’m 40 and thought I was over my zit days, but every once in a while… I purchased the Pond’s Overnight Blemish Reducers and was amazed how well they work! They’re clear little round disks, about the size of a dime. Just slap one on before you go to bed and you can really tell a difference in the morning. I’ve even stuck one on during the day and it would be gone by night. Just don’t forget it’s there and go out with it on. It’s clear, but not that clear! :o ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/28 "2003-01-27T04:05:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*Pangea, **alice** my dear. \*\* Damn. I knew it didn’t look right. I even googled it, and actually got a number of hits that I thought seemed appropriate. Oh well, I may have been exagerating a tad. It’s probably only the size of Patagonia, not Pangea. Oh, and FWIW, I think it may finally be just about gone. Just a little red spot. I can go back to worrying about dryness, instead of pimples. I do still have that tic story ready if anyone is interested though… ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/29 "2003-01-27T05:09:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alice\_in\_wonderland \* > \*\* > I’m 30 years old. I don’t get zits. > \*\* Honey, I’m 41 and still get zits. My mom’s 62 and SHE still gets zits. _Zits are life._ or should that be … zits are FOR life? ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/30 "2003-01-27T05:29:24Z")
I think it depends a lot on how healthy you are, and what kind of foods you eat. I don’t it matters how old you are, as **TVGuy** said. Tell us the tic story! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/31 "2003-01-27T13:27:49Z")
I’ve always used liquid anti-perspirant on my zits, and they clear up nicely. ---
**Author:** ![digitalskeeza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@digitalskeeza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digitalskeeza)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/32 "2003-01-27T15:42:23Z")
::raises hand::Ooooh, oooh!! I have a pretty sick zit story (although it’s chestal, not facial), if anyone wants to hear… ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/33 "2003-01-27T16:08:42Z")
I would like to hear both the tick story and the previous post’s “pretty sick zit story.” I recently extracted a swollen blackhead from the corner of my lip, a very awkward place. I could barely get any leverage for efficient squeezing, but with a little perseverance (and a break or two to wipe the tears from my eyes and take some deep breaths) I got the bastard out. It looked like a skinny maggot, with a solid black head on it and a yellowish root. ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/34 "2003-01-27T18:57:25Z")
Lots of, \<\\>, helpful advice from all. I’ve found that Carmex works really well to dry up pimples, not to mention it also works for its advertised purpose of treating cold sores. And since you can get it for about $1 at most drugs stores or at Wal-Mart, I always have a few around the house. Just apply to the little monster a few times a day. ---
**Author:** ![big\_alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@big\_alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_alex)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/35 "2003-01-27T20:06:41Z")
Ok seen as though everybody is so good at dealing with spots, what about those little blackheads you get on and round your nose? ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/36 "2003-01-27T20:19:20Z")
You people are sick! I love you all! 😃 Remind me to tell you about the **HUGE** one on my ass sometime. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/37 "2003-01-27T21:10:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVGuy \* > \*\*Honey, I’m 41 and still get zits. > My mom’s 62 and SHE still gets zits. > \*\* Right. But I’m 30, and I don’t get zits. I’ve been blessed with what the experts refer to as “Normal” skin. No zits. When I do, in fact, wind up with a zit, it winds up being a bit of an occasion, as this thread will show. I do get the occasional black-head on my shnozz. For that ( **big alex** , cough, cough)I use Biotherm, Thermal Clay mask. I put it on over-night, and the next day the blackhead(s) are gone. It’s expensive (like $25 per tube), but a tube lasts at least a year. Now, to the tic story: A couple of years ago, my grandma got sick, with what turned out to be cancer. She had a very sweet dog named Dusty. Dusty is a Boarder Collie - they need lots of exercise and brushing. Grandma wasn’t able to keep up with all the exercise that the dog needed, so her sons and neighbours would pick him up, drive him out to the wilds of Manitoba and let him run around and get exercise. Unfortunatly, Grandma wasn’t really able to keep up with the brushing either (She had bone cancer - lot of pain). I went out for a visit, and noticed that Dusty was looking pretty manky. He had burrs in his fir, and he was kind of dirty, and he was very stressed out so his fur was dull. So, at Grandma’s request, I set out to groom him and get him spruced up. I started brushing him, in order to get the excess fur out. As I was brushing him, I kept feeling a big lump on his back - I thought it was a matt of fur. He was a young dog at the time, and not prone to old-dog lumps. Anyhow, I kept brushing. As the fir diminished, I still felt the lump, so I decided to see if I could trim the matt out of his fir, so I got the snips and started rooting around. Dusty was getting kind of upset and wimpering a little, which is very unusual for him. I soon discovered the root of the problem. Located on his back, was a big, fat bloated tic that had obviously been there for quite a while. I assume he picked up up romping around the woods. The flesh around the tic was all swolen and pink, and looked very sore. Obviously, I couldn’t leave it there, so I got my equipment: [ul]- Tweezers - alcohol - antibacterial lotion - a shwack of papertowels. - a bone to distract the dog[/ul] First, I trimed the hair around the area so that I would have a clear view of the little beastie. It was huge - about the size of a grape, and yellow in color. It looked quite a bit like a cooked raisen, actually. (And people wonder why I don’t eat the things.) I got some tissues in my hand, and got a grip on the tic and pulled, basically seperating the engorged, bloody body from the head, still lodged in Dusty’s back. The spray that came out of that thing was impressive - soaked through the tissues, as well as the papertowels that I had on hand. Now, with the big bloated body out of the way, I started to work on the head. I got the tweezers and started poking around trying to get a grip on the beak. Dusty was surprisingly well behaved during all of this - probably because a) my Grandma was petting his head, saying reassuring things, and b) he had his new bone. I found the beak with the tweazers and managed to pluck it out. It was actually the head and the legs sort of all attached together, minus the body. I plucked it out and the hole started to weap a little. I grabbed a few more tissues and squeazed around the hole a little - a bunch of yellowy pus oozed out of the hole. I continued to poke and prod until only blood was coming out. I then put some alcohol in the hole, as well as some antibacterial cream. A couple of days later the hole was cleared up. Anyhow, Dusty is fine, and now lives with my parents. He gets lots of walking and brushing, and gets to play with my mom and dad’s dog, Elfie, also a Boarder Collie. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/38 "2003-01-27T21:28:20Z")
First, sorry to hear about your Grandma - thats sad. Now, the zit story: \*\*\*\* TMI WARNING \*\*\*\* … oh wait too late! Wow that was gross! That was a hard tic… I think they gorge themselves until full and then die. Ugh! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/39 "2003-01-28T04:14:49Z")
I got so desparate I nearly scratched the zit off of my face, leaving raw, pus-y skin. I washed it with warm water and antibacterial soap, then smeared on neosporin and slapped on a bandaid. ---
**Author:** ![digitalskeeza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@digitalskeeza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digitalskeeza)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813/40 "2003-01-28T04:30:20Z")
One fine day, I noticed my right boob was a little sore, and noticed a huge red welt-looking thing on the underside. I figured, hey, leave it alone, it’ll go away on its own. WRONG. By the next morning, it had grown and swollen to at least twice its previous size. It was much purpler (if that’s not a word, it should be), and, well, _angry_ looking. And It hurt like a bitch if I touched it lightly. My ex had the bright idea of taking a razor blade to It, just to nick it and relieve the pressure. He did this while we were in the shower, and he hunched down a bit to get eye level with It. He held up my boob with one hand, blade in the other, when things went horribly, horribly wrong. He had barely touched It with the corner of the blade, when it exploded in an unholy spurt of pus, blood, and cottage-cheese-stuff. RIGHT INTO HIS LEFT EYE. (You all saw it coming, yeah?). He has a really deep, manly voice, but he shrieked like a little girl when it hit, and who could blame him?!? The gagging and _cleansing_ went on for hours… YUCKKKKK. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-face/150813.md?page=3)