Woman squeezes pimple in the "triangle of death" – and ends up in the emergency room

Lish Marie ended up in the emergency room after trying to pop a pimple under her nostril. The reason: The area she squeezed is also known as the "triangle of death"—in fact, this mistake could have cost the Michigan mother of three her life.

Within four hours, her condition worsened, and her face swelled severely. As Lish Marie demonstrates in a TikTok video, she could only smile on one side of her face. She was subsequently admitted to the emergency room, where she was prescribed four medications to treat the infection, including antibiotics and steroids. Eventually, Lish Marie recovered.

Pimples are not uncommon, especially in the triangle between the bridge of the nose and the corners of the mouth. However, you should avoid squeezing pimples there . The blood vessels there lead directly to the blood vessels that supply the brain . This can quickly lead to infections in the central blood vessels, which can cause meningitis, blindness, or permanent paralysis.

In rare cases, a thrombosis also occurs in the cavernous sinus, a venous space in the dura mater. The thrombosis can cause headaches and fever; in the worst case, the increased intracranial pressure can be life-threatening.

It's best to leave pimples alone or consult a dermatologist or cosmetician. If you still want to take matters into your own hands, follow these rules :

• Wash and disinfect your hands and face thoroughly.
• Open the pores with steam – for example, over a bowl of hot salt water.
• Only prick visible pus-filled pimples carefully with a disinfected needle. Do not squeeze deep, red pimples.
• Do not touch your skin afterwards and avoid wearing makeup.

For persistent skin problems, only professional treatment – for example, by a dermatologist, a healthy diet, or stress reduction – can help.