Anyone who suffers from acne knows the only thing worse than pimples and scars is the unsolicited advice it seems to invite from, well, basically everyone. From “Have you tried Accutane?” to the ever-annoying “Why don’t you just wash your face twice a day?” (rolls eyes), everyone thinks they have the end-all answer to every epidermis woe. But if you’ve ever dealt with a cyst, blackhead, or whitehead that overstays its welcome, you know there’s a lot more to constant breakouts than meets even a highly trained eye.

As a beauty editor, it’s my job to seek out the best skin solutions, which means I get to test almost anything and everything. But after all these years the most important thing I’ve learned is that not all acne is created equal — and it definitely can’t be treated as such.