Tens of millions of people suffer from acne every day. Pimples and pimples appear on the face and body, affecting their appearance and weakening their self-confidence.
While some turn to home remedies for quick fixes or see their dermatologist in more serious cases, the location of the pimples can reveal the best treatment for eliminating embarrassing acne marks.
Dr. Charles Puza, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, posted several videos to his nearly 2 million TikTok followers breaking down the causes of acne, depending on where on the body it occurs—and how to remedy it .
Two common places where pimples can appear are the jawline and chin. Dr. Puza explains that this acne is probably hormonal. Hormonal acne occurs when outbreaks occur in adulthood. These can range from blackheads and whiteheads to more painful cysts.
Dr. Charles Puza, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, posted several videos to his nearly 2 million TikTok followers breaking down the causes of acne based on where they appear on the body — and how to remedy it
Acne cysts are large, pus-filled pimples deep under the skin that can lead to permanent scarring.
Hormonal acne is associated with an overproduction of sebum, an oily substance in the skin glands that clogs pores and leads to breakouts.
Treatment often involves antibiotics and prescription skin creams. Dr. Puza recommended spironolactone, a doctor-prescribed medication that helps reduce the hormones that produce pore-clogging sebum.
A non-prescription option is spearmint tea, added Dr. Puza added, explaining that the drink has anti-hormonal properties that can help clear the skin.
If you have pimples on your cheeks, your pillowcase could be to blame. Acne here can be due to inflammation, which requires anti-inflammatory treatments such as creams and face washes containing benzoyl peroxide.
In addition to anti-inflammatory treatments, Dr. Make sure you wash your pillowcase frequently to rid it of germs and bacteria.
Overactive sebaceous glands are probably responsible for annoying pimples on the nose. Products containing zinc and salicylic acid can eliminate these blemishes.
For breakouts outside of the face, according to Dr. Puza tight and sweaty clothes lead to acne on the back and other parts of the body. In addition, for back acne, the dermatologist recommends limiting the intake of whey protein as it can cause pimples on the back to flare up.
And for people who suffer from pimples or rough skin on their arms, it's probably not acne at all, but rather a condition called keratosis pilaris, a benign skin condition that causes rough patches and small bumps on the upper arms, cheeks, or buttocks caused.
For smooth skin, Dr. recommends Puza soaps and body lotions with urea, glycolic acid and lactic acid that slowly exfoliate the skin to eliminate imperfections.
Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States and tens of millions of people suffer from it every year.
It usually first appears during puberty and affects teenagers and young adults, leaving behind small or large whitehead or blackhead pimples and cysts.
The condition is caused by hair follicles becoming clogged with oil or dead skin cells, which can be due to changes in hormones such as testosterone, some cosmetic products and certain medications.
Treatment includes various creams and antibiotics, as well as injections and lifestyle changes.
However, in some patients the disease can persist for years.
In severe cases, scarring may occur.
And studies have shown that people with acne suffer certain social consequences — they're less likely to get hired, date, or make friends easily than people with clear skin.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts also found that people were less likely to post photos with them online.
For the study, researchers recruited 1,300 people and showed them a picture of someone with clear skin, mild or severe acne, before asking them a series of questions.
Researchers said people stigmatize those who suffer from acne and are calling on health insurance companies to cover treatment for it. Currently, most consider it a “cosmetic issue” and patients have to pay full price for treatments.