No, you should never cut open or try to pop a hard pimple at home. Hard pimples, such as acne nodules or cysts, are deep blemishes under the skin, and attempting to cut them open can lead to severe consequences, including infection and permanent scarring.
Treating deep, painful pimples: Dermatologist tips
Skin experts discourage popping a pimple because it may get infected and permanently damage your skin. You can either allow your acne to heal naturally or let a dermatologist handle it. If popping a pimple goes wrong, it may result in infection and cause complications.
Apply warm compresses: Place a warm, wet washcloth over the area and hold it there for about 10 minutes, several times a day. Make sure the washcloth isn't too hot. The warmth encourages pus to dissolve or come to the surface.
There are some at-home methods a person can try to help with hard pimples. These include using products that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, warm compresses, or ice packs. Keeping the skin clean and healthy is a good way to prevent breakouts.
Signs You May Have a Cyst (And Why It Won't Go Away on Its Own) Cysts are often mistaken for stubborn pimples that “just won't pop,” but they tend to: Feel like a firm, round bump deep under the skin. Appear red or skin-toned (and sometimes develop a dark center)
How long do pimples last? Pimples usually last between three and seven days. Most pimples go away on their own, but it may take some time. Deep pimples (pimples under your skin with no head that may feel hard to the touch) may take a few weeks to go away, if not longer.
When doing this at home, many people choose to pop pimples with a lancet needle or pin. This is not a good idea because it can cause an infection if the needle or pin hasn't been properly sterilized. Additionally, you might penetrate other parts of your skin, causing additional damage.
Nodular acne pimples appear as red bumps on the surface of your skin, with a firm lump deeper beneath the skin. Nodular acne is a type of inflammatory acne that occurs when hair follicles in your skin are blocked by excess oil (sebum), dead skin cells and bacteria.
Clean the pimple and the skin around it as well as your hands, and use a sterilized needle to pierce the pimple. Apply gentle pressure while pulling away from the pimple with tissue- or cotton-wrapped fingers. Afterwards, clean the area again and apply an antiseptic.
Pimples refill after popping because you often don't remove all the pus and debris, pushing some deeper, while the inflammation continues, and the pore wall itself can be damaged, allowing oil (sebum) and dead cells to collect again, leading to recurrence in the same spot. Popping also creates an opening for bacteria, causing more inflammation and new pimples nearby.
Popping pimples in the triangle of death on your face can be dangerous. It increases the risk of a severe infection that may reach your brain or bloodstream. Popping pimples generally worsens acne, so avoid touching your face and consult a dermatologist.
Hard pimples are inflamed lesions that occur deep within the skin and are usually painful. Hard pimples can be difficult to treat and may worsen over time. They can also cause permanent scarring. If you have frequent or widespread hard pimples, contact a dermatologist.
Warm compresses can help bring a pimple to a head so that the sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria can exit the skin's surface. Using ice can help relieve inflammation. Other treatments, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, may help manage acne and prevent pimples from forming.
Your body can gradually break down pus and reabsorb its components. That's why small accumulations of pus (like in a pimple) often don't need treatment.
On the other hand, bumps caused by STDs, like herpes sores or genital warts, are often accompanied by pain, itching, or changes in appearance, and they tend to appear near the vulva, vagina, and anus.
Additionally, popping a pimple can lead to a nodule (hard, red, painful blemish deep within the skin) or a cyst. The most serious form of a blemish, cysts are large and painfully inflamed lesions.
Cysts are common, noncancerous growths under the skin. They usually appear like a smooth skin-colored bump that can be small or grow to the size of a quarter or larger. Sometimes they have a small central opening called a punctum. If cysts get infected or inflamed, they may turn red or violet and become painful.
4-Step Guide to Bring a Pimple to a Head
When you use your fingers, you risk pushing the infection deeper, leading to more inflammation, scarring, and even rupturing beneath the skin. Dermatologists use specialized tools because they apply even pressure, making extractions safer and more effective. If you do use a tool, be gentle!
"It's best to let a pimple run through its life span," Rice says. Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
If a spot feels tender without an obvious cause, it warrants a check. Bleeding or crusting: A bump or mole that crusts or bleeds repeatedly could signal basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma. Sores that won't heal: Lesions that linger or reopen after healing may indicate basal cell carcinoma.
Stress doesn't always cause acne, but research shows a significant link between the two. Chronic, continual stress triggers activities in the body that can lead to breakouts or make existing breakouts worse.