64 replies to this topic

[allysaurus]

Two weeks ago I had a tiny pimple that popped on the side of my nose. It left a faint reddish mark but other than that I figured it was a goner. I wore my glasses two days later and the nosepads were resting on where the pimple used to be. I woke up the next day and I could feel a giant pimple coming on in that same spot because it was sore and red. I made sure I kept the area clean and layered the BP on at night, but as the days progressed it kept getting bigger and bigger. Last weekend I spent two entire days and nights with BP on 24/7 but it did absolutely nothing. I swear the sucker got even bigger.

Now here's where I screwed up. I normally get a really bad cystic pimple every month and it always eventually comes to a head in the steamy shower after a few days. I always pop it and TONS of gunk spew out...and though sometimes I have to pop it again every once in a while over the next couple days...I always get everything out eventually and it scabs over and disappears, leaving only a faint red mark that is easy for me to cover up.

But it had been over a week, and BP and hot showers were doing absolutely nothing. It was less painful, but just as red. It was smooth and red and you could see the giant pore right in the center of it. Last night I was so frustrated that I convinced myself I saw a tiny white spot in the pimple so I tried squeezing it. Clear liquid started oozing out and a verrrry tiny bit of stringy pus (kind of like the stringy pus that comes out of blackheads but not as solid). I think it's like those pimples where you have to push all the stringy pus out until all that's left is a gaping hole. But I tried soo hard to get it all out and I couldn't. Every time I squeezed, I could see another tiny dot of white pus come out again. I knew I had screwed up so I applied BP again and went to bed. I woke up this morning and it was super painful again and redder. I know I know I know..I screwed up But I'm so self-conscious now because it's impossible to conceal this monster. And I'm confused. I figured as long as I pushed hard enough I'd be able to get all that satisfying, mirror-splattering pus out like I'm used to.

Why is the pus coming out like the pus in a blackhead? Why oh why oh why is it not coming to a head? I've used hot compresses for days and I've been taking steamy showers for two weeks now. I step out of the shower praying for a whitehead...and I stare at the mirror only to be disappointed. I'd do anything to get rid of this pimple.......its smack dab in the middle of my face where everyone can see.

Thanks so much in advance. I know this is a super long post and I'm one in a million suffering from pimples. But I've been googling all day and haven't been able to find an answer. Where's the pus? What do I do now that I popped and failed??

[Capo89]

Two weeks ago I had a tiny pimple that popped on the side of my nose. It left a faint reddish mark but other than that I figured it was a goner. I wore my glasses two days later and the nosepads were resting on where the pimple used to be. I woke up the next day and I could feel a giant pimple coming on in that same spot because it was sore and red. I made sure I kept the area clean and layered the BP on at night, but as the days progressed it kept getting bigger and bigger. Last weekend I spent two entire days and nights with BP on 24/7 but it did absolutely nothing. I swear the sucker got even bigger.

Now here's where I screwed up. I normally get a really bad cystic pimple every month and it always eventually comes to a head in the steamy shower after a few days. I always pop it and TONS of gunk spew out...and though sometimes I have to pop it again every once in a while over the next couple days...I always get everything out eventually and it scabs over and disappears, leaving only a faint red mark that is easy for me to cover up.

But it had been over a week, and BP and hot showers were doing absolutely nothing. It was less painful, but just as red. It was smooth and red and you could see the giant pore right in the center of it. Last night I was so frustrated that I convinced myself I saw a tiny white spot in the pimple so I tried squeezing it. Clear liquid started oozing out and a verrrry tiny bit of stringy pus (kind of like the stringy pus that comes out of blackheads but not as solid). I think it's like those pimples where you have to push all the stringy pus out until all that's left is a gaping hole. But I tried soo hard to get it all out and I couldn't. Every time I squeezed, I could see another tiny dot of white pus come out again. I knew I had screwed up so I applied BP again and went to bed. I woke up this morning and it was super painful again and redder. I know I know I know..I screwed up But I'm so self-conscious now because it's impossible to conceal this monster. And I'm confused. I figured as long as I pushed hard enough I'd be able to get all that satisfying, mirror-splattering pus out like I'm used to.

Why is the pus coming out like the pus in a blackhead? Why oh why oh why is it not coming to a head? I've used hot compresses for days and I've been taking steamy showers for two weeks now. I step out of the shower praying for a whitehead...and I stare at the mirror only to be disappointed. I'd do anything to get rid of this pimple.......its smack dab in the middle of my face where everyone can see.

Thanks so much in advance. I know this is a super long post and I'm one in a million suffering from pimples. But I've been googling all day and haven't been able to find an answer. Where's the pus? What do I do now that I popped and failed??

Cystic pimple are almost impossible to pop!!!
Always leave those alone
I had one & let it dry out in almost 2 weeks
Dont touch them at all,trust me it caused me 1 little scar
Be patient

[catmuffin]

Have you tried some putting some clay on it and maybe take an Aleve? The clay may help draw toxins out and the Aleve can help with the inflammation. I take one in the morning and one at night for a couple days.

[allysaurus]

Like a clay mask? I never even thought of that! Thanks I'll give it a shot!

I know I should never ever pop a cystic pimple...I don't know what got into me. It was staring me down in the mirror and I just couldn't resist! Do you think it'll go away now that I messed with it?

[acnekeloid]

Don't feel sorry. I share your experience. I have 4 cystic acnes that are huge on my jaw they are painful as hell. I used 5% BP too and it's been a week and it has not gone down in size. Another cysts near my right temple near the hairlines is Gigantic.

If you want to try another thing that might not hurt, it has helped me a bit.
Buy any ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.

Wash Your Face.
Apply the Apple Cider Vinegar Directly, UNDILUTED, not mixed with water, just pure straight to your acne. Use cotton ball and press on the pimples for 10 minutes. let dry. don't wash off.
Apply 5% Benzoyl Peroxide. Lots of it.

My face is still with the cystic acnes, but they have gone down in size.
And my face is NOT oily no more. thank GOD to the Apple Cider Vinegar.
I know it's the APple Cider that's working b/c I used 5% BP constantly in the past and my face was still oily. Only when I combine both Apple Cider Vinegar and 5% BP did I see my face get dry.

Now only if I can use it to magically make those cystic disappear overnight.

[catmuffin]

Like a clay mask? I never even thought of that! Thanks I'll give it a shot!

I know I should never ever pop a cystic pimple...I don't know what got into me. It was staring me down in the mirror and I just couldn't resist! Do you think it'll go away now that I messed with it?

When you do just a dot on it, do it thicker than if you were doing you whole face. You can leave it on overnight.

[titosmommy]

If you have health insurance and have a derm, go for a cortisone injection immediately. The cyst will go away in like 2 - 3 days. If not, instead of warm compresses, you should ice it. That sounds like a very deep cyst that has spread out sideways into the surrounding tissue. I find that icing them helps as it literally contracts the pores. There is a tagged thread here on ice, but its basically putting an ice cube on and off it. I would also try 2% salicylic acid and some neosporin on top of that. It sounds infected.

[Wynne]

This question comes up so frequently.

Here’s what to do when you’ve messed with a pimple and it looks horribly swollen, red and painful now.
Keep in mind that the treatment may also prevent an incipient cyst from getting worse.
The treatment may also help prevent Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or ‘red marks’.

Basic recommendations:
Apply ice.
Take ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
Do not mess with the lesion anymore AT all.
Antibiotic cream/ointment and a band aid for night.

Detailed explanation and rationale:
Ice how-to:
Wrap an ice cube in a thin cloth towel or paper towel so the ice doesn't directly touch your skin. Some recommend freezing a bunch of water-filled little paper Dixie cups in the freezer. The thin paper cups make it convenient to hold and apply ice to the lesions. That’s a great idea from Laura, the esthetician that Willow569 goes to.

Hold the ice to the lesion for one minute or so on, five minutes or so off. Repeat as often as necessary throughout the first 24 hours, but not to the point that your skin turns pale or feels uncomfortable. The ice will reduce the swelling and the pain and the redness. The ice may also limit the development of post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, PIH, or ‘red marks’.

Anti-Inflammatory how-to:
Ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are anti-inflammatories. Inflammation is redness, swelling, pain. One or the other medication will help reduce the inflammation of any type of infection and may also help with pain. Use only as directed on the package, pick one or the other, and don’t use for longer than directed. Of course, don’t use one if you’re allergic to it!

If your doctor has ordered an antibiotic due to the inflamed lesion(s), continue to take the antibiotic as ordered. You may still take an anti-inflammatory for pain and swelling. The antibiotic is for the infection (bacteria) and the anti-inflammatory is for the pain, redness, and swelling.

Topical antibiotic cream/ointment and band aid how-to:
(Neosporin, Polysporin, Bacitracin, etc. I use Polysporin more often.)
Apply a dab of antibiotic cream/ointment to a small band aid (this prevents contamination of the tube provided the bandaid is sterile and you’ve not touched the pad part with your fingers or anything else).

Put the band aid on the lesion. Leave on overnight. You don't have to do this step, but it provides an extra measure of infection-control and just feels better, too.

The antibiotic cream/ointment may help prevent indented scarring.

There you go. Good luck!

[allysaurus]

Should I stop using warm compresses then? Because ice would have the opposite effect?

The skin has sort of scabbed over since I picked it and now it's a painful, dry, hard...extremely red spot. You're right, it's infected I woke up today and I think I can see a head starting to form? I might be delusional but I swear there's some pus under the scab now.

It's so hard to fight the urge to try and pop it.......I've never NOT popped a cystic pimple. I feel like they never ever ever ever go away if I don't. Ahh! I'm fighting the urge. It's so hard now that there's the possibility of an actual head forming!

[UKLady]

Hm, I really think that if you try to pop it again, you'll end up with a bigger infection and it'll be worse in the long term.

[stephie11]

don't feel too bad, I woke up yesterday with three cysts, of course one was in between my eyes! and I haven't had a cyst in forever... well anyways the one between my eyes has been giving me a headache all day where it is so swollen and the pressure of it was just killing me, so like you i tried to pop it too to relieve the pressure... only nothing came out even though i used a needle to try to make it easier... now my head hurts even worse, and I'm trying to nurse it with an ice cube right now good luck with yours
but....
18 days til i go to the dermo about accutane!

[grrrrr]

I have three cysts right now.
Mine eventually do come to little head if I wait long enough and am patient. I use a needle only when I see a head, and I don't go crazy with it. And I ONLY do it if it's killing me. Usually my cysts go away in 2-3 weeks.

How long have you had yours now?

[allysaurus]

Oh man stephie, I hate the between-the-forehead ones. I always seem to get cysts there or on my nose....worst areas ever if you ask me

It's been over 2 weeks now. The cyst has flattened which is strange because I barely squeezed any pus out the few times I picked at it. Now a giant patch of the surrounding skin is all dry and brown, which is fine. But the weird thing is that the pimple itself (in the center of all the dry brown skin) isn't drying up properly. Everytime I wash my face or take a shower, it's like an open sore. I don't know how to describe it...it kind of looks like a cankersore that you get in your mouth. Like a white crater? It oozes clear liquid and dries up after 10-15 minutes of drying in the open air. It doesn't hurt anymore...but it's really annoying. Why won't the sore just dry up like the rest of the skin and I can wait for it to peel off by itself? Instead I'm left with an open sore that is impossible to cover up and looks disgusting.

My face is seriously a disaster right now. I have a couple thriving pimples, a couple brown dry patches of pimples that have popped by themselves and scabbed over....disgusting..

[Wynne]

Those open spots will get better if you apply a dab of antibiotic cream or ointment to a bandaid and then a bandaid on each spot. The round bandaids work nicely. Use that at night unless you don't mind going out in public with bandaids all over...even I won't go that far.

[allysaurus]

Haha I could always make up some story about getting hit in the nose with something

But actually I was worried that the Neosporin was not allowing the sore to dry up and heal? Because I've been putting on Neosporin and a bandaid over it the past two night and everytime I wake up and wash it off the sore just opens up again. Maybe I'm crazy but I feel like if I dab BP or just let it air dry it might heal faster?

Actually that doesn't even make sense since Neosporin is supposed to help it heal faster...hmmm..

[LovelyLola]

i know what you mean about the neosporin feeling like it is actually prolonging the healing. I've had the exact same issue with it re-opening when I wash my face in the AM. I think at the stage it is at you may be better off without it, you'll prob have to go through a little flaking but theres nothing worse than an open hole on your face. Specially when it comes to putting on make up! I've done the whole try and pop the cystic plenty of times let me tell you. I ALWAYS regret it but one always seems to pop up before a big event and I feel like I have no other option, which is ridiculous because trying to pop it only makes it SUPER inflamed and impossible to do anything with. Like you, I'm trying to break the habit. I always just end up depressed and crying because after squeezing relentlessly cysts never completely surface for me.
Anyways, I have only prob commented on like one other post ever because I still havn't figured the site out, and never have time but just want you to know that after I read your posts I felt totally compelled to comment. I've been in that exact spot too many times! and it's the worst. I have literally gone into hiding for like a week at a time.
Have you called the derm to see if you can get on an antibiotic like ampicillin for a week? That will kill the bacteria thats still in it and help it to heal faster.
Good luck!! xox.

[MiBFTo]

Haha I could always make up some story about getting hit in the nose with something

But actually I was worried that the Neosporin was not allowing the sore to dry up and heal? Because I've been putting on Neosporin and a bandaid over it the past two night and everytime I wake up and wash it off the sore just opens up again. Maybe I'm crazy but I feel like if I dab BP or just let it air dry it might heal faster?

Actually that doesn't even make sense since Neosporin is supposed to help it heal faster...hmmm..

Your skin NEEDS oxygen in order to heal. If a lesion is covered in ointment and a bandaid all the time, it's going to be nearly impossible to get it to heal. Let it breathe at least half the time. Wear a bandaid to bed but not out and about during the day, or vice versa. Personally, I almost never put bandaids on blemishes. I'll put some ointment on it if I have to (I prefer vitamin E oil to soften healing skin instead), but I let it breathe. Always. This sometimes means I have to carry around a tissue to absorb any leaking (I'm still new to talking about this stuff... sorry if that's gross) but since I typically only do this at home, it's no big deal.

[Baybay]

i cannot even explain how exact my situation was to yours! I couldnt resist either so i made it worse but a few days later a tiny tiny bubble like thing formed on top of the cyst and i kinda pricked it and well alot of stuff came out and now 3 days later its completely GONE.. with a little coverup my skin looks completely clear.. i hope yours worked out for you it realy sucks gettin then on your cheek ..ughhhh.. but yeahh stupid cysts look big from the outside and are even 3 times bigger underneathh.. DIE.

[TisMe]

yeah, life's a bitch. I got about 14 cysts on my face right now. I usually just leave them alone, throw some tea tree oil on them before I go to bed, and it seems to decrease their lifespan.

[allysaurus]

Thanks so much for the replies. You guys have no idea how much this forum helps me...it's nice to know there are other people out there who feel the same way. My friends are all blessed with perfect skin and it's tough to be the face marred with pimples.

I think this pimple is definitely going to leave a scar. It's been a dry patch for a full week now and a bit of the skin just peeled off. It's still a giant red patch on my face and the skin is kind of bumpy for some reason. And in the middle of it is still the giant pore. Sad times. I'm so stressed about my skin I have pimples sprouting everywhere right now. I'm sitting here typing this with 10 globs of BP on my face. Feelin very pretty right now...