Black pimple on the face: causes, care and warning signs

The dark colour of a blackhead comes from material in the pore reacting with air, not necessarily from dirt. A crust of dried blood after squeezing or irritation can also look black.

Acne commonly presents with open comedones that have a flat or slightly raised dark centre. Folliculitis or an ingrown facial hair tends to form around a hair follicle and may feel tender. A spot that has been picked can develop a dark scab, followed by lingering pigment in the skin.

A new pigmented bump is not always a pimple. Features such as irregular colour, an uneven outline, spontaneous bleeding, steady enlargement or failure to settle deserve an in-person skin examination.

Leave the bump unpicked and wash gently with a mild cleanser. Avoid needles, scraping and forceful extraction, which can deepen inflammation and increase the chance of infection or a dark mark. Pause oily or irritating products applied directly over it.

Note when it appeared and take a clear photo in consistent lighting so that change is easier to judge. If similar clogged pores recur, a pharmacist or clinician can help select acne care suitable for your skin, pregnancy status and current medicines.

Arrange a routine appointment if the bump persists, repeatedly crusts, changes shape or colour, or you cannot tell whether it is a blocked pore. Seek prompt care for spreading redness, increasing warmth, marked swelling, pus with worsening pain, fever, or swelling near the eye.

Ask whether the lesion is a comedone, an inflamed follicle or a pigmented growth; whether it needs dermoscopic examination; which products should be stopped; and how to reduce further irritation or post-inflammatory darkening.