Why You Keep Getting a Pimple in the SAME Exact Spot

 

Can you predict the location of your next pimples as accurately as the date of your next period? If you said yes, we feel your pain. Luckily, there are steps you can take to end the vicious cycle of super stubborn, frustrating pimples. Here's what you need to know about this aggravating type of acne—and how to banish it for good.

 Those Pimples Might Be Cysts
Underground pimples that swell up and never come to a head (these suckers are known as cystic acne) are notorious for showing up in the same exact spot. 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. 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.

How to deal: Hate to break it to you, but since cystic acne changes the structure of your skin, there's no way to remove it on your own. That means you have to wait it out or see a dermatologist to have it removed. Your doctor might give you a cortisone shot if you only get one or two pimples a month, otherwise, he or she might prescribe a medication to heal the breakout from the inside out. 

Popping a Whitehead Might Backfire (Even Though It Feels So Good)
If you once squeezed a whitehead til it burst, it's possible that the entire blockage wasn't removed—meaning that pimple could become inflamed again. The irritation could also cause another pimple to form right next to your previous one. "It might appear like it’s the same zit, but it’s not,"

How to deal: To prevent your pore from becoming blocked again, I recommends using a salicylic acid treatment to remove excess oil and keep the pore clear. You can also use a spot treatment or product containing benzoyl peroxide to help kill bacteria that lies in the skin and causes acne, he says.

Your Dirty Habits Might Be to Blame
Have the habit of putting your mitts all over your face when you're stressed or reading emails at your desk? You might find yourself getting acne in the same exact spot over and over again. "Touching your face repeatedly in the same area can push dirt and oil into the pores in those areas and lead to pimples." 

How to deal: Besides keeping your hands off of your face (we know, it's hard), I recommends using salicylic acid-based products to keep those areas clear, as well as incorporating benzoyl peroxide treatments into your routine to kill the bacteria left behind from your fingertips.

Period Zits Are So Not a Myth
If you swear that your breakout is BFFLs with your period, you're on to something. Many women break out in the lower one-third of their face or from the nose down when Aunt Flo strikes. "We don't exactly know why this happens but we know that it does," he says, although he explains that it’s possible that the oil glands in this part of your face are more sensitive to hormones. He adds that some women might have acne flare-ups in other areas like their neck or forehead during that time of the month, too. 

How to deal: Use a salicylic acid cleanser the week before your period to help remove excess oil so that your pores stay clear when your hormones go haywire.

@WH