Dermatologist reveals disturbing reason you should never pop your own spots

I don't think there's a single person who hasn't looked an angry pimple in the eye and decided to squeeze the life out of it. Deep down, you know you probably shouldn't, but there's just something oddly satisfying about it.

We've all been guilty of it, but one expert is warning prolific pimple poppers to keep their hands away from their face once and for all.

What are the risks of popping your own pimples?

Of course, many of us might be aware of the risk of infection or potentially making existing acne worse by squeezing those pesky spots and pushing bacteria further into our skin.

"Popping pimples can be very tempting, but resist the urge. When you pop a pimple, it damages the underlying tissue and can leave your complexion looking worse," Very Well Health explains. "Popping pimples on your face, back, chest, or buttocks can lead to more breakouts, discoloration, and acne scars."

But did you know there's another reason why you should leave well alone?

Dr. Abigail Waldman, a dermatologist and Harvard Assistant Professor, took to Instagram to share a 'disturbing' warning, urging people to stop popping their own pimples.

She captioned her post: "The reason your dermatologist doesn’t want you popping your pimples, milia, and cysts.

"This is why all all the dermatologists are on this platform telling you not to pop your pimples," she begins.

"It's not just that you can get an infection, but it literally can leave a little hole in your head that is really hard to fix."

Yikes.

Indeed, the NHS says that squeezing spots can lead to scarring, some of which appear as 'small, deep holes in the surface of your skin that look like the skin has been punctured with a sharp object'.

The pimple 'zone of death'

This is far from the only scary warning when it comes to messing with our spots.

A dermatologist previously urged people to think twice before popping a pimple in the 'zone of death'.

According to expert Dr Mark, the zone in question is around the centre of your face and can have some pretty harrowing consequences.

In some cases, it can even be fatal.

"This area of the face, from the bridge of the nose down to the corners of the mouth, have veins that connect directly to the brain via a blood vessel called the cavernous sinus," he explained.

"When you traumatise the skin in this area or pop a pimple, you are potentially introducing a nidus of infection into the bloodstream that can also travel directly to the brain.

"This can lead to infection and even death."

What should you do instead if you have a pimple?

If you've been left suitably terrified by the warnings, try not to worry - fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can safely deal with annoying breakouts and painful pimples.

Of course, one of the best things you can do is just leave it alone.

But if that's too hard, using pimple patches or over-the-counter spot-on treatments is the next best thing.

Or if your skin is really bothering you, see if you can book an appointment with a dermatologist who will be able to advise.

Whatever you do... don't touch that spot!