Acne has a rude way of cropping up at the most inconvenient times, always ready to rear its ugly head whenever something important or awesome is going on in your life. For actress Saoirse Ronan, her most recent encounter with the skin condition came right in time for the filming of her new movie Lady Bird.

The 23-year-old, who stars as the teenage heroine in the tender and funny coming-of-age dramedy, gets candid about her experience with pimples in a new interview with Variety. In 2016, Ronan made her Broadway debut in Arthur Miller’s classic The Crucible. While the role earned the Irish-American actress lots of critical praise, it also garnered her a stubborn case of acne, she explains in the interview. Wearing heavy layers of makeup and working under hot stage lights for many hours a day caused her face to break out big-time.

Ronan’s experience is far from rare in her industry; it’s practically an occupational hazard.

Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Hospital, tells SELF that he sees a lot of actors and actresses facing the same problem. Those pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads arise when hair follicles become clogged with oil secreted by tiny sebaceous glands, as well as inflammation-causing bacteria and the accumulation of dead skin cells. “Thick theatrical makeup is heavy and physically blocks your pores,” Dr. Zeichner explains over email, so “it’s not uncommon for actors to break out because of the makeup used on set.”

And intense lighting can make things even worse. “Stage lights can compound the effect of theatrical makeup because the heat they generate can make you sweat even more than you would otherwise,” Dr. Zeichner says. “Sweat mixed with oil, dirt, and occlusive makeup is a recipe for acne.”

What’s more, a demanding work schedule, like the one Ronan had in 2016, can trigger a stress response in your body, Dr. Zeichner explains, causing a hormone surge that increases oil production. Not to mention the fact that being busy can make a skin-care regimen feel like a marathon at the end of the day.

Whether or not you’re an actress, there are several ways to minimize breakouts caused or exacerbated by thick makeup and excessive sweating.

Dr. Zeichner recommends wearing that makeup for as little time as possible. And if it’s an option, stick to mineral-based or powder foundations instead of heavy, oil-containing liquid foundations, which tend to clog pores even more.

A thorough skin-care routine after wearing makeup can also improve skin clarity. Dr. Zeichner recommends a double cleanse: Start with a face wash containing an exfoliant like salicylic acid to clear pores, and follow it up with a hydrating cleanser to calm inflammation. Then you can go in with an acne treatment containing bacteria-killing benzoyl peroxide.

Although you may be tempted to cover up with “cosmetic camouflage,” Dr. Zeichner says the truly optimal thing for your skin is to keep it completely free of comedogenic (pore-clogging) substances. “When treating acne, I recommend avoiding makeup as much as possible,” he says. So there’s definitely some value in embracing your pimples when they come to visit, even if you normally feel more comfortable with more makeup on.

Fortunately for Ronan, skipping foundation and concealer was not a problem for her part in the breakout hit of the year. In fact, Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig encouraged Ronan to bare her blemishes in the film.

“I wasn’t insecure about it, for whatever reason,” Ronan told Variety. “[T]his was a raw character. There was nothing to hide behind.”

The result? An onscreen teenager who actually looks like a real teenager. And considering Ronan is getting serious Oscar buzz for her charmingly authentic performance, losing the cover-up and embracing her breakouts was the right move—for her career and her skin.

Related: