Few things are more frustrating than having to deal with acne that keeps popping up despite the countless number of products and homemade remedies you’ve tried out. Don’t believe me? Ask the average, highly hormonal teen whose face seems to break out every other hour.

Over the years, we may have noticed certain patterns – say, for example, breakouts that come about a certain time of the month. Or perhaps after a heavy chocolate binge session. But even as adults, we get our fair share of breakouts and acne that we still can’t seem to figure out why or where they came from.

So when I came across what Dr. Michael Shapiro, a well respected dermatologist, had to say about face mapping, I knew I had to share.

Face mapping is an ancient Chinese technique used to try and aid doctors in diagnosing the cause of acne by looking at which part of your face it’s predominantly on. So get your pen and paper out and start studying the chart ladies and gentlemen!

To avoid or combat acne, here are some of the remedies that Dr. Shapiro shared:

• Get a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night
• Increase your water intake and consider drinking lemon water each morning to help flush out toxins
• Consider paying close attention to what you consume and its effects
• Change your pillow cases regularly
• Ensure your phone is clean or avoid placing it on your face all together
• Fruits and veggies will always be your friend so consume as much as possible!
• Avoid excess caffeine and salt as it affect your skin in the long run
• Make sure your face products and/or hair products may have an adverse effect on your skin