Skin questions
Should I pop a pimple, and what happens if I do?
Usually no. Squeezing pushes bacteria deeper, can enlarge a spot, and is the commonest cause of the marks and pits that last for months. Only a spot with a white head can be drained gently, once.
- A spot with no headLeave it, or treat it; squeezing drives it deeper
- A squeezed spotMore inflammation, a wound, and often a lasting mark
- The markFar harder to treat than the acne was
On this pageWhat squeezing actually does inside the skin4
Quick answer
The bottom line
Leave most pimples alone. Squeezing a spot that has not come to a head pushes the contents deeper and wider, and dermatology guidance names picking as a leading cause of post-acne marks and indented scars. If a spot has a clear white head, you can release it once: wash your hands, warm the area, press gently around the edges with clean fingertips, and stop the moment it does not drain easily. Never squeeze a deep, hard or painful bump, and never pick at a scab. Spots that keep coming, or that hurt, need benzoyl peroxide, a retinoid or a clinician, not fingernails.
At a glance
Three things worth remembering
Section 01
What squeezing actually does inside the skin
A pimple is a blocked pore with bacteria and inflammation inside. Squeezing raises the pressure in that pocket. Some contents come out of the top, but some are forced sideways and downwards into the surrounding skin, which spreads the inflammation and can turn a small spot into a larger, deeper one that lasts longer.[1][3]
Fingernails also break the surface, which lets bacteria in and creates a small wound on top of the spot. The scab that follows is then tempting to pick, and each round of that delays healing.[1]
Section 02
Why picking is where marks and scars come from
Dermatology guidance on acne scars names picking and squeezing as a leading, avoidable cause. Damage to the deeper skin during a squeeze is what leads to pitted scars, and the extra inflammation is what leaves the flat brown or red marks that can take months to fade, especially on deeper skin tones.[2][3]
Those marks are far harder to treat than the acne was. Retinoids, chemical peels, lasers and needling all exist for scars, but none reliably returns the skin to how it was; not making the scar is the only treatment that works every time.[2][4]
Section 03
If you are going to do it anyway, the least harmful way
Only a spot with a clear white or yellow head, sitting right at the surface, is a candidate. Wash your hands and the spot, hold a warm, clean cloth on it for a few minutes to soften it, then press gently around the edges with clean fingertips or two cotton buds, not nails. If it does not drain easily, stop; forcing it is what causes the damage. Afterwards, leave it alone and, if you have one, cover it with a hydrocolloid patch.[1]
Never squeeze a deep, hard or painful bump with no head, a spot near the nose or eyes, or a cluster of spots. Those are the ones that scar, and a clinician can drain or inject them safely if needed.[1][2]
Section 04
Treat the cause instead of the spot
If you are popping spots every week, the useful question is why they keep appearing. Benzoyl peroxide and topical retinoids have strong guideline support for preventing new spots, and they work on the process rather than on one pimple at a time. Give one of them six to eight weeks.[4][3]
Painful deep bumps, widespread acne, or marks and pits already forming are reasons to see a clinician now rather than later; the earlier scarring acne is treated, the less there is to repair.[3][2]
Your next step
Turn this into a practical plan
Choose the guide that best matches what you see. Each one starts with what to try, how long to wait and when to get help.