It’s the one spot you wish would stay clear. A single pimple on the nose can hijack your confidence, ruin a photo, and make you feel like everyone is staring at it. Many people respond by scrubbing harder, picking at blemishes, or blaming themselves.

But nose acne is rarely a sign of poor hygiene. In most cases, it’s the result of normal biological processes happening beneath the skin. Understanding why it appears can make it easier to treat—and harder to blame yourself for.

The nose sits in the center of the face’s T-zone, an area packed with sebaceous glands. These glands produce sebum, the natural oil that keeps skin moisturized and protected. Because the nose contains more active oil glands than many other areas, it is especially prone to clogged pores.