Everything you need to know about tonsil stones, the weird growths that look like pimples in your throat

Disgusting medical videos are all the rage on YouTube these days. Pimple popping, cyst draining, earwax removal, back cracking, foot callus scraping — you name it, there are probably millions of people who want to watch it on video.

The removal of tonsil stones — tiny, pebble-like growths that can be popped out of the tonsils — is no exception. It’s a little bit like pimple popping, just inside a throat. And watching it happen on video is really satisfying.

First, a quick explainer for the uninitiated: Your tonsils are actually part of your immune system, the Mayo Clinic notes. They make white blood cells and antibodies and help fight off infections. But they also happen to be full of spooky-sounding cavities called tonsillar crypts. Some people’s crypts are deep enough that bits of food or mucus can get stuck deep inside.