Tens of millions of people suffer from acne on a day-to-day basis, with pimples and zits popping up across their face and body, blemishing their appearance and diminishing self-confidence. While some turn to home remedies for quick fixes or visit their dermatologist for more serious cases, the location of pimples can reveal the best treatment for clearing up embarrassing acne spots.

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 across the body it appears – and how to clear things up.

Two common places pimples may appear are the jawline and chin. Dr Puza explains this acne is likely hormonal. Hormonal acne is when breakouts occur in adulthood. These can range from blackheads and whiteheads to more painful cysts.

Acne cysts are large pus-filled pimples deep beneath the skin that can lead to permanent scarring. Hormonal acne is linked to the overproduction of sebum, an oily substance present in skin glands, which clogs pores and leads to pimples. It is often treated with antibiotics and prescription-strength skin creams. Dr Puza recommended spironolactone, a doctor-prescribed medication that helps reduce hormones that produce the pore-clogging sebum. A non-prescription option is spearmint tea, Dr Puza added, explaining the drink has anti-hormonal properties that may help clear skin.

If you are experiencing breakouts on your cheeks, your pillowcase could be to blame. Acne here could be due to inflammation, requiring anti-inflammatory treatments like creams and face washes containing benzoyl peroxide. Along with anti-inflammatory treatments, Dr Puza recommends you wash your pillowcase often to rid it of germs and bacteria that could be contributing to breakouts.