If you frequently (or always!) struggle with breakouts, you might have noticed that they often occur in the same areas. You just managed to deal with a huge red bump on your forehead, and a week later, it’s back again. Why does this happen?
When it comes to comedones
This is quite straightforward. Open and closed comedones tend to prefer the same locations for most of us – the T-zone. This area has the highest concentration of sebaceous glands. Therefore, clogged pores are most commonly found on the nose (and around it), the forehead, and the chin. However, it can also happen that one or a few persistent blackheads keep appearing in the same seemingly random spot, like on your cheek. In such cases, it’s possible that you have an enlarged pore in that area, which constantly fills with thick sebum. This enlargement could have occurred due to previous inflammation: the contents of a pimple might have stretched the opening of the sebaceous gland.
What to do: Regardless of where your comedones appear, the best way to get rid of them is by using AHA and BHA acids. As usual, I don’t recommend squeezing anything as it can worsen the problem.
When it comes to inflammations
Often, large, inflamed papules or cysts appear in the same spot. This happens because the inflammation under the skin forms a “pocket” attached to the sebaceous gland (sorry for the imagery!). When the inflammation subsides, the pimple may become almost invisible or completely disappear from the skin’s surface. However, the remaining “pocket” can refill and become inflamed again – making this area of the skin more prone to new inflammations.
What to do: Use anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredients like azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid (in concentrations of 1.5-2%) applied locally.
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