What's Really Causing Your Acne?

Acne: You know it, you hate it, you’d do anything to keep it far away from your face. Whether you’ve dealt with the skin condition since your teen years, or you’re suddenly a victim of adult acne, chances are you’re not totally clear on what’s causing your blemishes. You may have chalked it up to well-known reasons like hormones, over-oily pores, or dry skin. And it’s possible you’ve pondered if your pillowcase or skincare products are to blame. But did you know that, according to an ancient Ayurvedic technique called face mapping, the location of your acne is often indicative of the underlying cause?

Watch this video for a thorough breakdown of what’s really causing your acne. Don’t have time to watch? For a quick lowdown, here’s some info on common breakout zones, along with their likely causes:

Your chin or jaw: It might indicate a hormone imbalance, which can overstimulate your oil glands and clog pores.

Near the edges of your face: It might mean your beauty products, such as hair products or makeup, are clogging your pores.

On your cheeks: It may mean you’re consuming too much sugar, or that you’re spending too much face time with your cell phone, which can accumulate oil and makeup and then transfer germs to your skin.

On your forehead: This could mean a number of things, such as: you’re super stressed, sleep-deprived, or having digestive or liver problems.

On your T-zone: Your face is probably producing too much oil, since this area has more oil glands than the rest of your face.