Usually, when a pimple appears on the face, it's not infected. In fact, infected pimples are rare, but they can get infected if you try to get rid of them by popping them. This is because when you manually pop a pimple, it's susceptible to bacteria making its way inside your skin, which can bury down and cause an infection. Once an abscess is infected, the usual acne treatments like salicylic acid won't be as helpful. Instead, you want to focus on keeping the affected area clean with a mild cleanser and swiping the area with hydrogen peroxide. You can also place a warm compress over the infected pimple to help the natural draining process. However, you must not press down too much as it may force the bacteria deeper into the skin.
