Acne Keeps Coming Back In Same Spot Best Tips To Stop It

Can you predict the spot of your next pimple as accurately as the date of your next period? If you the answer is yes, there’s probably a reason you keep getting a pimple in the same spot, acne keeps coming back in same spot.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to end the vicious cycle of super stubborn, frustrating pimples, says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC.

Here’s what you need to know about these tough-to-fight pimples—and how to banish them for good.

Acne Keeps Coming Back In Same Spot Best Tips To Stop It

1. That pimple might actually be a cyst.

Underground pimples that swell up and never come to a head (these suckers are known as cysts) are notorious for showing up in the same exact spot, says Dr. Zeichner. They develop when your pore, which is shaped like a long tube, branches out and causes oil to take a detour from its path to the surface of your skin.

Ugh, Cystic Acne Is The Worst—But You Can Treat It

When this happens, the oil forms a “balloon-like” shape under the skin and inflates and deflates depending on how much oil you’re producing, Dr. Zeichner adds. If you have big groupings of cysts, which can leave behind scars, then your doctor might prescribe a birth control pill, spironolactone, antibiotics, or even Accutane, says Estee Williams, MD, a dermatologist in NYC.

Dr. Williams advises a topical remedy for the occasional cyst. Cleaners are limited in their effectiveness, explains. Acne typically calls for leave-on products. Look for spot treatments like this one from La Roche-Posay that contain glycolic, salicylic, or benzoyl peroxide.

2. You’re not popping that whitehead the right way.

According to Dr. Zeichner, if you’ve ever squeezed a whitehead until it ruptured, it’s conceivable that the full obstruction wasn’t eliminated, which means the pimple might re-inflame. Another pimple may develop adjacent to your existing one due to inflammation or bacteria exposure. Dr. Zeichner asserts that although it may seem to be the same zit, it is not.

It’s easier said than done, but the best thing to do to treat a whitehead is nothing at all. Popping can lead to scarring, unless you leave it to a pro. But if you can’t resist the pop, Dr. Zeichner recommends using a salicylic acid treatment to remove excess oil and prevent your pore from becoming blocked again.

3. Your dirty habits might be to blame.

Have the practice of reading emails at your desk or caressing your face when you’re stressed? What if you never cleaned your phone? Acne brought on by heat, friction, and pressure exerted on the skin is known as acne mechanica.

Besides keeping your hands off your face, try cleansing your phone weekly or in between long chat sessions, says Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

4. Period zits are a real thing.

You may be onto something if you assert that your breakout coincides with your menstruation and BFFLs. Dr. Robinson claims that the sebaceous glands’ stimulation by androgen is to blame. The same region of our faces where androgens trigger our sebaceous glands is where it occurs. That is to say, your neck, jawline, chin, and lower cheeks are directly in the line of fire.

You can deal with the drastic hormonal changes from the inside out. “Many times we use spironolactone, an androgen blocker, with or without birth control to help ease hormonal acne,” says Dr. Robinson.

If you want to go the OTC route, Dr. Robinson recommends a topical retinol. This version from PCA Skin also contains salicylic acid and bakuchiol (a botanical extract), to help fight your breakouts

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