ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is often associated with the soft rustle of paper, the tapping of nails on a surface or the gentle whispering of a creator into a microphone.
The idea is simple: certain sounds and repetitive movements can trigger a relaxing sensation, sometimes accompanied by a tingling feeling that starts around the scalp and travels down the neck.
But the Internet has another, slightly more graphic version of this sensory experience. Think close-up shots of stubborn blackheads being extracted, pimples being popped and clogged pores being cleared, often with little more than the sound of a tool against the skin.
For some viewers, it is oddly calming. For others, it is the kind of content that makes them recoil while somehow refusing to look away.
Pimple-popping and blackhead-removal videos have carved out their own corner of social media, drawing viewers who find the process satisfying, fascinating or even relaxing.
What one person might see as an unpleasant dermatological procedure can be compelling entertainment for another. And with Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts making short, visually engaging clips easy to discover and share, the appeal is difficult to ignore.
From Blackheads To Big Extractions, What Is Going Viral?
You must have seen those videos. The formula is familiar to anyone who has spent time watching skincare videos online. A camera zooms in on a patch of skin, a dermatologist or skincare professional gets to work, and viewers wait for the moment a stubborn blackhead or pimple is finally removed.
Some videos focus on clusters of blackheads, while others feature elaborate extractions of cysts and other skin growths. The more unusual the case, the harder it can be to scroll past. Anticipation builds as the procedure progresses, and the final reveal delivers the payoff viewers have been waiting for.
The appeal is not limited to the extraction itself. The close-up visuals, repetitive movements, audible sounds and visible transformation from before to after all play a part.
This is not an entirely new internet obsession. US-based dermatologist Dr Sandra Lee, better known as Dr Pimple Popper, helped turn skin extractions into a mainstream online phenomenon through her YouTube videos and, later, her television show of the same name a few years ago.
Her content combines dramatic procedures with medical explanations and patients' personal stories, giving viewers both the spectacle and the satisfaction of seeing a problem addressed.
Today, the format continues to find audiences across social media.
Why Is Watching Someone Pop A Pimple So Satisfying For Some?
There is a peculiar contradiction at the heart of these videos. The subject matter can be gross, yet the act of watching a blemish disappear can feel strangely rewarding (to some).
According to mental health experts, that response has a lot to do with curiosity, anticipation and the sense of completion that comes with seeing a visible problem resolved.
Dr Deeksha Kalra, Associate Consultant in Psychiatry at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, explains that popping a pimple can provide a momentary feeling of relief, particularly when someone is bothered by a visible blemish.
"Taking out the stuff inside can feel like solving a little problem, which gives you immediate mental relief," she says.
The brain can associate this action with a small reward, making the experience feel pleasurable in the moment. Watching an extraction video can offer a similar sense of resolution, even though the viewer is not the one undergoing the procedure.
Dr Nikita Ravtani, Associate Consultant Psychiatrist in Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Gleneagles Hospital, Chennai, points to the curiosity factor. "Viewers want to see what comes out and how the skin looks afterwards. The immediate visual result, she explains, can create a sense of completion."
There is also the appeal of the unexpected. People are often drawn to things they might ordinarily find unpleasant, particularly when they can observe them from a safe distance. "An extraction video allows viewers to satisfy their curiosity without having to experience the procedure themselves."
For some, the attraction is also about distraction. Watching a repetitive process unfold can offer a brief break from everyday stress, while the visible outcome provides a neat ending that many other forms of online content do not.
Dr Sujit Paul, a certified mental health expert and life coach, explains that "the sense of release can come from watching an apparent imperfection being removed. The visible change may create a feeling of control and relief, although these feelings are usually short-lived."
Is Pimple Popping The New ASMR?
ASMR videos are designed to trigger a pleasurable sensory response through sounds, visuals or gentle movements. While whispering, tapping and brushing remain familiar triggers, the appeal of pimple-popping videos lies in their combination of close-up visuals, repetitive actions and, sometimes, the sounds of the extraction itself.
The important distinction, however, is that not every satisfying video produces ASMR.
Dr Kalra explains that some viewers may experience an ASMR-like response to pimple-popping videos, while others simply enjoy the visuals. The close-up shots, gradual removal of impurities and repetitive movements may feel calming to certain viewers, but the characteristic tingling sensation associated with ASMR is not universal.
Dr Ravtani agrees that these videos can offer a similar experience for some people, although curiosity and the desire to see the final result may be just as important as relaxation.
In other words, the Internet's latest sensory fixation may not be ASMR in the strictest sense for everyone. For some, it is about the tingles. For others, it is simply about watching a stubborn blackhead finally give way.
The Social Media Effect: Why We Keep Watching
Dr Kalra notes that social media can increase the reach of these videos by encouraging viewers to watch, comment and share. While some people consume them as harmless entertainment, others may use them as a distraction from daily stress.
Yet repeated exposure can have a downside for people who are already prone to picking at their skin. Watching extraction after extraction may make the behaviour seem more normal or trigger an urge to do the same.
Watching Is One Thing, Popping Your Own Pimples Is Another
There is a difference between watching a dermatologist remove a blackhead and attempting the same thing in front of a bathroom mirror.
Squeezing an inflamed pimple can damage surrounding tissue, worsen inflammation, push bacteria deeper into the skin and increase the risk of infection, dark spots and scarring. What feels like a quick fix can leave a blemish looking worse long after the initial satisfaction has worn off.
Dr Ravtani points out that occasional skin picking is common and does not automatically indicate a psychological problem. However, repeatedly picking at the skin despite knowing the potential harm can become a concern, particularly when it causes wounds, distress or difficulty stopping.
Dr Kalra similarly cautions that the immediate relief associated with picking can reinforce the behaviour, making it more likely to recur during periods of stress, boredom or anxiety. When the urge becomes difficult to control, it may be associated with skin-picking disorder, also known as excoriation disorder.
Dr Paul also warns that frequent picking can lead to skin damage, inflammation, infection, scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
So, while watching a dermatologist clear a stubborn blackhead might be your idea of an oddly satisfying scroll, it is best to leave the actual extraction to a trained professional.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
