Explosive! Behind the internet's fascination with pimple popping, zit zapping and squeezing cysts

Millions are watching videos of cyst extractions, botfly removals and blackhead treatments. But what's fuelling the explosive growth of the online community?

" Warning: graphic content

Thirty four million views on YouTube; 30 million views; 23 million views. Not figures for music videos, or cats playing the piano, or even celebrities reading mean tweets, but clips of exploding cysts, unplugged blackheads and, reader - I'm sorry to have to tell you - botfly extractions.

Welcome to the world of "popping". To Generation Xers, popping might be more familiar as the funk dance that came out of California in the 70s - as in body-popping - but in the age of internet, it speaks to two hours spent down a YouTube clickhole of puss and screams.

I want to say 'euw gross'. I want to wretch

The cyst has a name, which is common

@RealSharHorgan There was a blackhead in my armpit in 2005 I still remember with all the joy of a birthday

It's just so satisfying, especially black heads for me - they're my favourite. I like solid when it comes to popping, those giant cysts constituted almost entirely by liquid don't tickle my fancy - Zelda6finity.

I wish I could marry you. I'd put a ring under my skin and pretend it's a cyst.

An amateur goes at her boyfriend's shoulder with a carving knife

His website is ordered into categories - butt cysts, belly button lint"