Squeezing pimples in the T-zone: Doctors warn of dangerous complications

Squeezing pimples in the T-zone can lead to widespread infection.

Master - Specialist Doctor 1 Pham Thai Duy, ENT Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City said that squeezing pimples on the nose, especially the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) is quite dangerous, can lead to widespread infection. Because this area has a blood vessel system that connects directly to the brain veins.

"When using unclean hands or non-sterile objects to squeeze pimples, bacteria can easily penetrate the skin, spread to the subcutaneous tissue and cause cellulitis. If the inflammation is not controlled, the condition will progress to a pus-filled abscess, causing pain, swelling and destruction of surrounding tissue," said Dr. Thai Duy.

Doctor in the process of treating a patient's nasal abscess

PHOTO: TA

Recently, the hospital received a patient named TPK (24 years old, residing in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) who showed signs of pain and swelling in the nose area after squeezing a pimple on his own. He bought antibiotics to take but did not improve, the pain got worse. The results of a sinus endoscopy showed that Mr. K. had cellulitis in the nose area, and an abscess was monitored in the nose area.

Due to work reasons, Mr. K. wanted to be treated as an outpatient. During the outpatient treatment, Mr. K. was closely monitored and had the abscess drained after 3 days and 7 days. However, the nasal abscess responded poorly to oral medication. After 1 week, the nasal area was still swollen and painful, so Mr. K. returned to the hospital for a check-up.

Risk of abscess spreading to the eye socket, face, and skull base

Upon examination, the doctor found an abscess in the nasal area, tense and swollen. If not treated promptly, it could spread to the eye socket, face, and skull base. The doctor ordered Mr. K. to be hospitalized for medical treatment and to drain the abscess to prevent complications.

At the hospital, Mr. K. was transferred to the operating room, anesthetized to control pain and ensure safety throughout the abscess treatment process. The doctor made a small incision outside the nose, right at the highest point of the abscess, to drain the pus from the subcutaneous tissue. The pus had also spread into the nasal cavity inside, the doctor approached and drained the remaining pus. A large amount of thick pus was released from both directions, reducing pressure on the patient's nose. After that, the patient's abscess cavity was cleaned with an antiseptic solution, drained, and the nose was bandaged.

Not treated promptly will cause dangerous complications, even death.

According to Dr. Thai Duy, if patient K. is not treated promptly, the abscess can spread to nearby structures such as the eye socket, causing inflammation of the orbital tissue, facial sinus, or more seriously, spread to the cerebral venous system through the cavernous sinus, causing cavernous sinus obstruction.

"This is a rare but extremely dangerous complication that can cause death or leave neurological sequelae," Dr. Duy emphasized.

After 3 days of post-operative monitoring at the hospital, Mr. K's condition was stable and the surgical wound healed well. The patient was discharged and continued to be monitored and treated as an outpatient according to the doctor's prescribed regimen.

Doctor Duy recommends that young people, teenagers... should not arbitrarily squeeze pimples on the nose area, especially the T-zone when the pimples show signs of swelling, redness, pain, and pus. When there are unusual symptoms, you should go to the doctor early for timely diagnosis and treatment to avoid serious complications.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tu-nan-mun-vung-chu-t-bac-si-canh-bao-bien-chung-nguy-hiem-185250506154551009.htm