Face Mapping for Pimples—Recurring Breakouts Within the Similar Place

Let’s face it, breaking out in the identical areas over and over is irritating. On the finish of the day, all breakouts are technically attributable to the identical factor—a mix of extra oil and lifeless pores and skin cells builds up contained in the pores, inflicting them to change into clogged. This creates a extra hospitable atmosphere for micro organism, which might trigger irritation that results in a full-on blemish.
With that mentioned, the true nature of pimples is advanced, and it may be actually troublesome to pinpoint precisely what triggers it. Sure, some persons are simply extra vulnerable to it than others, however there could be all types of various triggers. During the last 30 years, I’ve seen extra purchasers for pimples than every other pores and skin situation, and it’s positively taught me a factor or two about these triggers. Whereas no two persons are precisely alike in relation to their pimples, I’ve been capable of observe sure patterns and correlations.
On this put up, I’ll share my very own model of “facemapping” based mostly on widespread pimples triggers I’ve seen all through my profession. The placement of your breakouts would possibly simply be telling you one thing, all you need to do is pay attention!
Breakouts On the Chin and Jawline
This will come as no shock, however when you’re all the time breaking out alongside your chin and jawline, hormonal fluctuations are most likely the offender. The chin and jawline are the place individuals mostly expertise cystic breakouts (you understand, these laborious, painful bumps below the pores and skin that by no means come to a head).
Whereas the hyperlink between meals and pimples is considerably tenuous, I’ve seen with my very own eyes that sure meals teams is usually a set off for some individuals. Particularly, there appears to be a hyperlink between cystic pimples and sure sorts of dairy, significantly skim milk. As a result of sugar can spike glucose ranges, it’s additionally doable for it to be a contributing issue.
What To Do
If you happen to suspect a hyperlink between your hormonal pimples and the meals you eat, the one method ahead is experimentation. Once more, not everybody goes to be the identical. Some individuals could possibly deal with average quantities of dairy, whereas some individuals could discover their breakouts triggered by even a small quantity. The identical goes for sugar! My recommendation is to chop out one meals group at a time and to chop every group out for 3 weeks whereas observing breakout exercise.
If you happen to are inclined to solely get cystic breakouts throughout the week main as much as your interval, attempt adjusting your skincare routine a bit.
If hormonal pimples in your chin and alongside your jawline is fixed, try these eight suggestions for prevention. Anybody who experiences constant hormonal breakouts wants Anti Bump Solution of their equipment—it’s non-drying and can be utilized as a spot therapy for particular person cysts, or it may be used all around the chin as a preventative serum. Lastly, when you’re nonetheless not seeing any enchancment from an at-home skincare routine, I extremely suggest seeing a dermatologist. Hormonal pimples is difficult, and so they’ll have the ability to suggest prescriptions to handle the hormones themselves.
Breakouts On the Sides of the Face
The very first thing I ask somebody with clogged pores and pimples on the perimeters of their face is “Do you employ hand cream earlier than mattress?”. It could look like an odd query, however I used to see this ALL the time again once I was treating purchasers at my spa. Mainly, individuals have been slathering on thick, greasy hand cream earlier than mattress. By itself, that wasn’t a problem, however some individuals put their faces of their arms after they sleep. This brought about the hand cream to switch, and the heavy elements ended up clogging their pores.
One other doable concern is soiled pillowcases. If you happen to’re acne-prone and have oily pores and skin, switching your pillowcase out usually is tremendous essential. In any other case, oils and micro organism out of your face rapidly accumulate on the material and might switch again onto your pores and skin whilst you sleep.
What To Do
If you happen to use a heavy hand cream at evening, cease utilizing it to see if there’s any enchancment in your breakouts. You possibly can attempt switching to one thing with a lighter, lotion-like texture. If you happen to actually battle with dry arms and wish to make use of one thing thick, attempt light-weight cotton gloves to maintain your arms off your face. Bonus, this may assist lock in your hand cream for much more moisturized arms!
As for pillowcases, I like to recommend switching them out weekly.
Breakouts On the Cheeks
That is sort of a wierd one, however hear me out. Once I see somebody with redness of their cheeks accompanied by breakouts, I’ll typically advise them to chop down on acidic meals like tomato or citrus fruits. The cheeks comprise lots of blood vessels, and acidic meals can dilate them inflicting blood to hurry to the realm. Individuals with pimples have already got very energetic pores and skin metabolically talking, so further stimulation could make it worse. This is similar idea behind individuals with energetic pimples ought to keep away from very energetic skilled remedies like microneedling. (That is what occurred to my buddy Heather when she began experiencing sudden breakouts.)
What To Do
You don’t want to surrender acidic meals altogether, simply attempt reducing down on them and seeing if it helps. If you happen to actually like spicy meals, I’d additionally recommend avoiding these in extra. Individuals with plenty of redness of their cheeks are sometimes vulnerable to rosacea, so make sure to try my suggestions for the best way to handle rosacea and calm redness.
Breakouts On the Brow
If you happen to’re all the time breaking out in your brow, think about your alternative of headwear. Hats are an effective way to maintain your pores and skin protected against the solar whereas outside, however they will additionally lure dust, sweat, and micro organism, resulting in clogged pores and breakouts. The identical goes for sweatbands.
One more reason may very well be your coiffure. You probably have bangs that usually contact your brow, oil out of your hair may very well be transferred onto your pores and skin.
What To Do
Defending your pores and skin from UV injury needs to be your primary precedence, so I wouldn’t suggest giving up hats altogether. Simply attempt to not put on them every single day for prolonged intervals, and make sure to wash them usually. Earlier than placing your hat on, you may also swipe on a toner like Rapid Response Detox Toner. This toner reduces oil exercise and discourages micro organism that may trigger breakouts.
As for bangs, make sure to wash them every single day and keep away from hair merchandise on this space.
If you have already got clogged pores which might be supplying you with a bumpy brow and have to eliminate them, attempt incorporating a salicylic acid serum a number of nights every week to assist clear this up.
Breakouts Alongside the Hairline
If you happen to constantly get away alongside your hairline, I strongly recommend taking a second take a look at the hair merchandise you employ. These merchandise slip round all through the day, and so they typically find yourself accumulating alongside the hairline. Since these merchandise are formulated for hair, not pores and skin, it’s commonplace for them to comprise elements that may clog our pores. Moreover, elements which might be typically utilized in skincare at low percentages with out concern is perhaps utilized in haircare merchandise at a lot increased percentages, at which level they do begin to change into an issue for pores and skin.
Enjoyable truth, once I was a teen I struggled with horrible again pimples earlier than switching my conditioner.
What To Do
To determine if a hair product actually is the offender, you’ll ideally cease utilizing it for not less than two to 3 weeks to see in case your breakouts enhance. If this helps, attempt switching to an alternate. If it’s a hair product you actually love and really feel you may’t reside with out, attempt being extra aware of the way you apply it and keep away from getting too near your hairline. Additionally, make sure to wash your hairline space actually completely while you wash your face at evening—it’s one individuals typically overlook.
Breakouts On the Nostril
Whether or not you put on prescription glasses or use sun shades (an essential behavior for defending your imaginative and prescient and stopping eye wrinkles), they sit on part of the face the place sweat and oil accumulate quick. All that sweat and oil being trapped and rubbed round by your glasses is the right recipe for a breakout.
What To Do
If that is one thing you battle with, attempt making use of a skinny layer of Daytime Blemish Gel to the bridge of the nostril earlier than you head out for the day. I created this product to behave as a seal for blemishes, preserving micro organism and particles off the affected space. It accommodates salicylic acid to assist maintain pores clear and tea tree oil to discourage micro organism.
Remember to clear your glasses each day in addition to this may assist forestall buildup.
Breakouts On the Higher Lip
Lastly, the higher lip. That is an space the place many individuals observe hair removing. Whether or not it’s waxing, shaving, or threading, hair removing causes friction which might result in irritation and bumps or breakouts.
What To Do
One in every of my favourite methods is utilizing Rapid Response Detox Masque to appease the realm proper after hair removing. It’s actually hydrating and cooling, nevertheless it additionally has antibacterial properties that assist forestall breakouts by preserving pores clear. Bonus tip, retailer it within the fridge for some time for an additional cooling impact.
Talking of hair removing, right here’s my foolproof plan for stopping ingrown hairs from shaving or waxing.
I hope you discovered this useful! Figuring out what’s inflicting your breakouts actually could be difficult. Though the placement of your pimples can’t all the time let you know what’s inflicting it, it can present clues as to what could also be triggering it or making it worse. I’ve seen these triggers trigger issues in particular areas of the face over and over all through the years, so I hope you discovered one thing that resonated with you.
Subsequent up, 11 widespread causes you’re experiencing grownup pimples.

Celeb Esthetician & Skincare Knowledgeable
As an esthetician educated in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare professional has created a real-world answer — merchandise which might be formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and appear its finest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “essentially the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”