# Why don't people pop their pus-filled pimples when they are on their face ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487 "2011-01-05T15:15:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 5, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/1 "2011-01-05T15:15:33Z")
It is gross to try to talk to someone who has a big, pus-filled pimple on their face. It happened to me twice yesterday–a woman with one on her upper lip, and a guy witgh a huge, pus filled pimple on his nose. Don’t people notice them in the mirror, or feel them when they wash their face? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/2 "2011-01-05T15:18:29Z")
Not everyone pops pimples. I personally have never done it on purpose. I’ve never had them on my face like that, though. I don’t know if the location would cause me to do it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/3 "2011-01-05T15:27:34Z")
As a teenager I popped mine, ahh the pimples that is. Some folks didn’t because they said it would cause a scar. May be some truth to that: not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/4 "2011-01-05T15:35:30Z")
I don’t even really know how to be honest. It never really occurred to me. If I have one I have medication for it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/5 "2011-01-05T15:50:58Z")
[Because:](http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/acne_myths.html) > [@](#): > > Myth: Popping your pimples is the best way to get rid of them. > > Fact: Step away from that mirror! Some people might tell you that popping your zits will make them less noticeable and help them heal faster, but they’re wrong. Picking or popping your pimples pushes germs further under your skin, which could cause more redness, pain, and maybe even a nasty infection. And popping zits can lead to scarring, which could last forever. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/6 "2011-01-05T15:52:20Z")
Yeah, but there’s something so satisfying about having a face made of bubble wrap. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/7 "2011-01-05T15:54:08Z")
It’s also good to avoid touching your face–both to avoid future break outs and because of cold/flu prevention. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/8 "2011-01-05T15:56:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Some folks didn’t because they said it would cause a scar. May be some truth to that: not sure. That’s what I’ve always heard. The only zit scars I have–right below the bridge of my nose–are the ones where I followed what people said: to not mess with them. After seeing what scars those two left, I decided it was better to nip it in the bud. I’ve also heard there’s a danger of popping one below the nose area, because there’s a blood vessel that goes back into the brain, and squeezing can send toxins brainward. Personally, I think that’s similar to saying a person can make millions per year in the NFL if he (or she) throws 30+ touchdowns per year. I’ve never given those a second though at popping, either. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/9 "2011-01-05T15:57:02Z")
The one on the lip was more likely a herpes sore, but yeah, it can actually be dangerous to pop your own pimples, plus scarring. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/10 "2011-01-05T16:01:22Z")
When I was a kid, my pimples generally popped up overnight, so I was able to attend to them in the morning, pop 'em and cover them up with a laquer of makeup. And yes, I do have a few scars from that. Now that I’m older, the bastards are less frequent, which is nice, but they also tend to pop up during the _day_. Grr. This means that I’m sometimes shocked when I go into a bathroom and look in a mirror. Horrors! Have I been walking around with THAT on my nose for hours? How humiliating. But I think that adults are also more likely not to pop, because they now know that yes, popping pimples does often lead to scarring. If not bumpy scarring, it can produce red or brown spots which take literally years to fade. You don’t believe that as a teenager, but once you’ve seen the evidence on your own skin, you might be less likely to pop again. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/11 "2011-01-05T16:23:22Z")
[Dr. Oz says you sterile the area](http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Dr-Oz-on-Health-and-Hygiene/print/1), then take a sterilized needle and push it through the top of the pimple parallel to the skin. Then you rip it open by pulling up on the needle. Yes, rip it open. His words. I saw him demonstrate it on TV —\> http ://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Dr-Oz-Demonstrates-How-to-Properly-Pop-a-Pimple-Video (Video warning - high YUCK factor! Link deliberately broken because you will spew your coffee onto your computer monitor.) ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/12 "2011-01-05T19:43:59Z")
The third picture down: Yeah, this lady in my office has two like that. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/13 "2011-01-05T19:58:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Now that I’m older, the bastards are less frequent, which is nice, but they also tend to pop up during the _day_. Grr. This means that I’m sometimes shocked when I go into a bathroom and look in a mirror. Horrors! Have I been walking around with THAT on my nose for hours? How humiliating. This. Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/14 "2011-01-05T20:04:47Z")
Don’t hit me, but, at 42, I have never had a pimple on my face. Just wanted to share that. ---
**Author:** ![cognizant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@cognizant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cognizant)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/15 "2011-01-05T20:09:36Z")
1. Because it may hurt 2. Because one does not usually have the necessary equipment for a sterile pus-draining procedure 3. Because it may lead to scarring ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/16 "2011-01-05T20:20:45Z")
I’ve also had the lasting effects from not popping them. If I don’t do something about them, they get bigger and bigger, then seem to fade, but the area remains hard and feels like there’s a bump under the skin. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/17 "2011-01-05T20:36:21Z")
I get them during the day, too. I used to have horrible acne. In my thirties it has significantly calmed down, but now I get a few on my chin during my period. I take care of them at home, but I do not care to be popping pimples in the woman’s bathroom at work. That is just gross. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/18 "2011-01-05T20:40:57Z")
I had moderate facial acne in my late teens, and popped those bad boys whenever I had the chance. I actually enjoyed doing it, and was fascinated by the eruption, the volume of the emanation, as well as the consistency of the spew, which changed depending on the firmness of the pustule. I usually had a small mirror and magnifying glass at hand for the event. I suffered no future ill effects from my experimentation, and have no facial scars whatsoever, although I’d been told throughout my teens they would result. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/19 "2011-01-05T20:55:35Z")
> [@alice the goon](#): > > don’t hit me, but, at 42, i have never had a pimple on my face. Just wanted to share that. \*\*\* thwack \*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487/20 "2011-01-05T23:24:24Z")
Ugh, reading this thread made me so glad my acne is mostly gone. Thought it would never happen. I don’t EVER squeeze or pop my pimples unless they are whiteheads that are completely ripe and at the surface, and spew with the slightest pressure. Because doing so to other type of pimples usually doesn’t result in pus expulsion, sometimes makes the infection longer-lasting or more severe, and tends to give me worse pigmentation which lasts longer. I had many years of moderate to severe acne to experiment with, trust. And no, I don’t care if my pimples gross you out. Neener. Of course I am keenly aware of exactly what is going on with my facial boils, it’s just that I choose not to traumatize the skin surrounding them or spackle them with concealer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-pop-their-pus-filled-pimples-when-they-are-on-their-face/566487.md?page=2)