A woman was rushed to the hospital and prescribed four different medications after popping a pimple in the dangerous facial region known as the ‘triangle of death.’
32-year-old Alisha Monaco developed an ordinary-looking pimple, something she experiences regularly, in the area between the corners of her mouth and the bridge of her nose. Unaware of the risks, she attempted to pop it. When squeezing didn't work, she used a sanitized needle tool. Immediately, her ear popped and she was struck by dizziness. "I knew I'd messed up," Alisha recalled.
She woke up hours later in excruciating pain. The entire right side of her face was swollen, her smile was crooked, and her ear felt clogged. "It was brutal. I was in so much pain just trying to smile or talk," she said.
Her husband rushed home to care for their three children so she could go to urgent care. The medical staff treated her with urgency and kindness, reassuring her that she was right to seek help. They emphasized the severe risk of infection due to the pimple's location and immediately began treatment.
Alisha was prescribed four medications to combat the swelling and prevent a serious infection from spreading. After being released, she recovered at home and decided to share her story on TikTok to warn others. Her video, which detailed the incident and the dangers of the ‘triangle of death,’ garnered 7.8 million views.
Dermatologist Dr. Alok Vij explained the science behind the danger: the area has a direct vascular connection to the brain via the cavernous sinus, a network of large veins. An infection there, whether from a pimple or a piercing, has a pathway to travel to the brain and cause a systemic infection. While he noted such severe outcomes are relatively rare, the risk is ever-present whenever the skin is broken and bacteria is introduced.
Alisha hopes her story will encourage others to avoid picking at pimples in this area and to use a pimple patch instead.
