View Full Version : Danger Triangle Fear - Scratched one pimple open today, accidentally
Male, 19.
I was studying, all focused... and then, just somewhere within the past half hour, I accidentally scratched (open) a pimple using my fingernail right on my nose (right after I was scratching through my hair) and I scratched my finger within the so-called 'danger triangle'. Some pus, I think, bit of blood too, came out. I can only say, my fingernail couldn't have been clean. Not long thereafter, I started grabbing tissues, watering them up and using them to sweep over that spot on my nose, hoping to make sure there couldn't be any infections coming up there. Which is the main point of that danger triangle then. I'm just afraid again, now. Right when things were going well, this happens to me... urgh! Any words to help out, or anything? Also my first post here...
Feeling some strange sensations right now. Some in my nose, some in my head, itching near my eye. The spot I scratched is feeling slightly hurting now... a strange sensation there, making me even more worried.
for en.wikipedia.org: / wiki / Danger_triangle_of_the_face
I've read about this years ago and strangely enough, it's popped up on the DailyMail today.
I believe it's possible to be honest, but so is anything. You hear all sorts of scary stories of people getting some infection or something from a tiny scratch and getting very ill. The chances will be remote otherwise everyone with spots would be told not to pick them in that area. I have acne and can not resist picking big ones, I've yet to have an infection due to it and I've had acne almost 8 years now.
A common board phenomenon... someone posts a fear and several posts appear... remember the ebola scare?
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=189525
Positive thoughts
A common board phenomenon... someone posts a fear and several posts appear... remember the ebola scare?
[a thread link]
Positive thoughts
I did not see that before this happened, honest.
No matter really. It's an unfounded and irrational fear.
Good luck and positive thoughts
No matter really. It's an unfounded and irrational fear.
Good luck and positive thoughts
Yes, that's true, I'm trying to calm myself down now...
:scared10:
---------- Post added at 18:51 ---------- Previous post was at 17:47 ----------
Still worried
ServerError
07-10-16, 19:53
Still worried
What would you like us to do about that? You've had rational responses. We can all be supportive and tell you we can relate, which most of us can, but what more are you looking for?
This is a deeply irrational fear.
What would you like us to do about that? You've had rational responses. We can all be supportive and tell you we can relate, which most of us can, but what more are you looking for?
This is a deeply irrational fear.
I don't know, to be honest, I'm just trying to figure out why the fear keeps coming back after managing to pull it down.. but yeah
ServerError
07-10-16, 20:08
I don't know, to be honest, I'm just trying to figure out why the fear keeps coming back after managing to pull it down.. but yeah
The reason I asked is that I wanted you to ask yourself the question. And you did, and came back with "I don't know". A lot of the time, we don't really know what it is we want. We strive for reassurance, but when we get it, we don't recognise it.
Have you been diagnosed with or treated for an anxiety disorder? Is this new to you? If it's new, you have a great chance of stopping it in its tracks. You're only 19 and you have your whole life ahead of you. It may be wise to seek professional help to deal with your worries. I recommend it!
The reason I asked is that I wanted you to ask yourself the question. And you did, and came back with "I don't know". A lot of the time, we don't really know what it is we want. We strive for reassurance, but when we get it, we don't recognise it.
Have you been diagnosed with or treated for an anxiety disorder? Is this new to you? If it's new, you have a great chance of stopping it in its tracks. You're only 19 and you have your whole life ahead of you. It may be wise to seek professional help to deal with your worries. I recommend it!
I'm going to start therapy soon, and these kind of fears are among the things I discussed with the people there (depression popping up now and then being another), and they said it did sound like an anxiety disorder, so yeah I'm headed for professional help currently, so at least there is that, yes. :)
ServerError
07-10-16, 20:43
Good move. I'm sure they'll be able to help you. Well done on taking that step.
You're only 19 and you have your whole life ahead of you. It may be wise to seek professional help to deal with your worries. I recommend it!
This is really, really good advice. I am 42 now and only just beginning to deal with anxiety as a root cause of so many things. I look back and realize it's been happening my whole life only I never knew to name it that so I could address it. Doing it while you are only 19 is such a good thing to do...the fears seem to get bigger as you get older so get in front of it now!
Catherine S
07-10-16, 21:04
There was an article about this in the UK Daily Mail today, but i've seen the same article lots of times over the years. ..a bit like the old 'End of the World is Nigh' prophecies of the past. In the big picture of life I'm pretty sure you're unlikely to succumb to anything serious if you pick a spot within the so called triangle. Ive not heard about too many teenage acne sufferers falling like flies because of this, and i'm sure they are picking endlessly at facial spots. Try not to worry.
ISB x
Well I certainly am glad to be starting therapy this soon, indeed!
There was an article about this in the UK Daily Mail today, but i've seen the same article lots of times over the years. ..a bit like the old 'End of the World is Nigh' prophecies of the past. In the big picture of life I'm pretty sure you're unlikely to succumb to anything serious if you pick a spot within the so called triangle. Ive not heard about too many teenage acne sufferers falling like flies because of this, and i'm sure they are picking endlessly at facial spots. Try not to worry.
ISB x
I'm trying. But every sensation I feel just triggers things...
It's not actually possible especially if I've wiped the spot with lots of water (tissues with tap water), right? Right?
There's (still?) a zit there now and now came the usual very-light-green/yellow 'dot' in the middle (forgot what to call it)...
I'm completely fine and should just shush about it, right? But I feel an odd pressure and a bit of pain on that corresponding side of my face,
a bit near the eye on that side too... could have nothing to do with it though but-..
MyNameIsTerry
07-10-16, 23:38
Yep, for some reason the media have decided to stir this one up and bingo we see threads appearing.
The Daily Mail are only one, I've seen at least 4 other outlets, it's not just the scaremongering ones running it. The lack of detail is hilarious. Anyone could have written the articles.
Picking spots in that area are what everyone does, yet no one had ever heard of it and on a HA board that must mean it is incredibly rare since people on here are worrying about rare things anyway.
Why aren't all the boxers getting it? I've noticed all the articles (and the threads on here) area about picking spots yet if you actually read about it, there is mention of spots - it's about facial INJURY.
So, it's the media stating spots.
Catherine S
07-10-16, 23:52
Nathan, it's not the spots that are the problem, it the picking of them....apparently. I don't believe this cr*p for a minute, not even a second, but if this has triggered your panic then my advice would be just don't pick! And if you want to get rid of any possible contamination. ...albeit imagined...use a medicated wipe instead of just water.
ISB x
ServerError
07-10-16, 23:54
It has a Wikipedia article which reads like utter utter garbage.
MyNameIsTerry
08-10-16, 00:32
It's not about picking, that's the media. It's about an infection in the Cavernous Sinus causing thrombosis. It has links to various conditions.
The Wiki page isn't detailed but there is more info on the page about the actual sinus.
Nathan, it's not the spots that are the problem, it the picking of them....apparently. I don't believe this cr*p for a minute, not even a second, but if this has triggered your panic then my advice would be just don't pick! And if you want to get rid of any possible contamination. ...albeit imagined...use a medicated wipe instead of just water.
ISB x
I thought it was more about opening up a pimple in general (in my case, scratching it open accidentally) in that triangle area (nose and between nose and lips). I'm usually careful with it and pay attention to where I touch any pimples, but this time it was an accident there.
Oh man, think I'm starting to have a panic attack over this now..
I was feeling odd, my right eye itchy (or the area around it at least)
Right side of my head feels a bit odd, I don't know what to do.. some head pressure.. it's late at night
feeling weakened and feeling weird sensations around my face/head..
randomforeigner
09-10-16, 05:13
I've never heard of any "danger triangle" in my life until today. In any case, man has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, and teens have probably been popping pimples for as long as anybody can remember, triangle or no triangle. The triangle is probably originally invented by grandmothers who want to stop their grandchildren from popping pimples. I believe magazines pick up on these kind of "news" in order to sell more single copies, by scaring people with semi-science and thus making them buy the paper in order to know more about it. "Silent cough can threaten your life without you knowing about it", etc. etc.
---------- Post added at 04:13 ---------- Previous post was at 04:03 ----------
Oh man, think I'm starting to have a panic attack over this now..
I was feeling odd, my right eye itchy (or the area around it at least)
Right side of my head feels a bit odd, I don't know what to do.. some head pressure.. it's late at night
feeling weakened and feeling weird sensations around my face/head..
One thing you could do is to go and watch a funny old comedy on the internet, and see if you still feel bad afterwards. (It has to be a comedy.) You probably just have a common cold, you've got the symptoms of a common cold it seems.
MyNameIsTerry
09-10-16, 06:46
It's not about picking, that's the media. It's about an infection in the Cavernous Sinus causing thrombosis. It has links to various conditions.
The Wiki page isn't detailed but there is more info on the page about the actual sinus.
See above.
It's NOT about pimples. The only place I saw that when I was searching was in the media. It's NOT mentioned on the Wiki page that quotes 8 medical references. Yet all the newspapers are reporting it? Does that sound suspicious to you?
We are all saying we've never heard of it, that it's an urban myth. I thought that a few weeks back when someone else raised a thread about it. When the one linked earlier in this thread was created I read up on it to try to reply to the poster and that's when I saw the newspapers all latching onto it about pimples with their weak articles.
How about some perspective on this "danger triangle"?
Well it was first recorded in 1852!
In 1937 a study of cavernous sinus thrombosis cases revealed 61% of cases were caused by BOILS. If you look at Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis itself, 70% of cases are caused by a specific bacteria and guess which one is also in a boil? Yep.
So, it's been around a very long time, yet no one has a clue about it (there's a big clue there about how many cases must have occurred :winks:) and pimples are NOT mentioned BUT boils are. Have the media made an assumption that a boil is a pimple? A pimple is nothing like a boil. If you had a boil you would be seeing a doctor anyway, they are very painful.
A bit more perspective.
I have asthma. In modern times asthma was discovered in 1872. So, that's 2 decades after this "danger triangle". Look how many people have asthma? How common do people know about the existence of asthma?
If it's so obscure like this, it's obviously very rare. So, it's a case of a HA sufferer focussing on completely unlikely things because they are terrifying when there are many things more likely to have the same result which are not even entering their minds. Classic Cognitive Distortions.
ServerError
09-10-16, 12:32
I feel like the name doesn't help. "Danger triangle". It does sound pretty terrifying.
I guess it's like a killer whale. Scary name, but not really anything to worry about.
MyNameIsTerry
09-10-16, 12:35
Free Willy was lovely & cute. :biggrin:
Yes, it's a bit of a daft name. It seems to be one the medical profession gave it though? :shrug: I guess it's nothing to them given what they dabble in, in anything it sounds too layman?
It sounds like a film title.
I've seen a few articles about sepsis recently, so I suspect that sepsis will soon be one of the things Health Anxiety sufferers regularly torment themselves about.
Think of it this way.... It's like the Bermuda Triangle :)
Positive thoughts
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.