11 Surprising Culprits Behind Your Breakouts

For the most part, we know what causes acne. We know not to indulge in too many late-night pizza benders, we try our hardest to remove our makeup before bed, and we have the very best intentions (intentions being the key word) to frequently wipe down our smartphones. So, when a breakout takes over our face despite our best efforts, it never fails to leave us wondering,What gives?

“Your body may be trying to tell you something, so listen to it and trace your steps,” says Dr. Arleen Lamba, founder of Blush Med Skincare in Bethesda, MD. That new crop of zits could have come from something as seemingly harmless as nail biting or an overzealous makeout session.

To get the full lineup of the sneaky culprits, we enlisted the help of top skin-care pros to fill us in on the mistakes we unknowingly make day in and day out. We’re also sharing the best ways to treat and prevent unexpected breakouts by making small changes to your routine and using kind-to-your-skin acne-care products, like Olay Fresh Effects. Knowing your adversary is the first step of an attack. Once you find out what your zit triggers really are, you just might discover that the pizza can stay.