What is a
Blind Pimple

Find out what a blind pimple is and how you can get rid of a blind pimple with NIVEA, with easy tips made for you.

Read Time

3 min

In short:

What is a Blind Pimple?
What Causes Blind Pimples?
How to Prevent Blind Pimples?

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What is a
blind pimple?

Many people have never heard the term “blind pimple”, so… what is a blind pimple exactly? A blind pimple is also known as cystic acne, which forms under the surface of your skin and may be hard for you to notice at first. As blind pimples develop under your skin, they are referred to medically as pimples with subcutaneous swelling. You might notice them as small bumps that can be painful, inflamed and reddish in colour.

Read on to find out what causes blind pimples and how you can get rid of a blind pimple in a gentle way.

Blind pimples on the chin and forehead

Blind pimples, sometimes called underground pimples, most commonly form on your face – especially around your chin and forehead area – but they may also form on your upper back or chest. To find blind pimples more easily, you can gently run your finger across the surface of your skin and you will often feel a bump; this, however, is not always the case.

You should avoid trying to pop blind pimples – this is not how to get rid of a blind pimple safely. This is especially important for blind pimples on your chin and forehead, as squeezing them can often lead to scars or infections, pushing the contents of the pimple deeper into your skin and causing more inflammation. You may notice them forming more regularly on your chin and forehead because make-up and frequent touching of your face are some of the main factors that cause blind pimples.

What causes
blind pimples

Blind pimples are like regular pimples in that they develop when the pores on your skin become blocked with sebum (oil produced by your body), dirt, bacteria, dead skin and hair. There are multiple reasons why your body may be struggling to regulate these factors for you; these include:

Hormonal Changes

When teenagers go through puberty, they are prone to acne breakouts as their hormone levels shift. You might also notice this in yourself during your menstrual cycle or pregnancy.

Sweat

Activities that make you sweat can worsen acne and blind pimples, especially if you wear tight clothing or a hat or helmet that sits close against your skin.

Bad hygiene

If you do not shower or wash your skin regularly, oil and dirt build up on your skin, which encourages acne and blind pimples to form and stick around for longer.

Medication

Blind pimples and acne in general can be caused or worsened by medicines that contain corticosteroids, testosterone or lithium. If you are unsure, you can always chat to your healthcare professional.

Family history

Acne can also be linked to your family history, as it is often seen to run in families. If your parents suffered from acne, there is a good chance you might as well. The same goes for blind pimples.

Skincare products

Wearing thick make-up or using heavy moisturisers can clog your pores, encouraging zits and blind pimples to form. Lighter, non-comedogenic products are usually a gentler choice for your skin.

How to prevent
blind pimples

If you find yourself dealing with blind pimples often, here are our gentle recommendations to help you prevent further blind pimples from forming:

Clean skin regularly
It is essential you clean your skin regularly and maintain good hygiene if you want to prevent further blind pimples from occurring, we recommend washing your face with a cleanser in the morning, before bed and after you sweat.

Use appropriate skincare/make-up products
We recommend staying away from any oily products, oily skin is a critical factor that leads to acne and blind pimples occurring, we recommend switching your face cream to an oil-free face cream such as our NIVEA Mattifying Day Cream. If wearing makeup, you should try and keep it to a minimum, heavy amounts of makeup can lead to dirty skin and clog your pores.

Let them be
One of the worst things you can do is try and pop or continue to touch a blind pimple, this will only make the area more irritated and can lead to infection or scarring. Once you have cleansed and applied products, ensure you leave the area alone.

Stubborn
Blind Pimples

If you still find yourself struggling with stubborn underground pimples for months after trying these tips on blind pimple treatment, we recommend that you seek out a skincare or medical specialist who can help you find a personalised blind pimple treatment that suits you. You should see a healthcare specialist if an underground blind pimple is severely inflamed, or if you are noticing signs of infection such as sweats or fever.