Causes of spots

Spots are caused when a pore becomes blocked, often by grime, impurities or dead skin cells, this causes the oil produced by your skin's sebaceous glands to become clogged. Bacteria in the skin thrive in the oil and the dead skin cells, the skin then becomes inflamed resulting in a pimple.

Fighting spots

One of the difficulties in fighting blemishes is that there isn't one routine or medication which will work for everybody. To find the best solution for you will require a little experimentation, but the basics you'll need to start with are:

Disinfecting: Benzoyl peroxide is the most effective non-prescription disinfectant with a low risk of irritation. If, however, you prefer a less chemical alternative 'tea tree' is one of the best disinfectants mother nature offers.

Reduce excess oil: It's hard to stop your body producing too much oil, but you can absorb some of the excess with a clay mask, this will also unclog your pores.

Exfoliate: Using a product with beta hydroxyl acid (BHA) will clear the pore lining getting right through to the oil causing the blockage.

Shave with an electric razor: this way you won't cut the tops off any spots worsening the infection.

Try to reduce your intake of sugar, refined carbohydrates and trans or hydrogenated fats, examples include donuts, cookies, pastry, ice cream, pies, sodas, cakes, chips and burgers, also reduce dairy products such as ice-cream, milk and cheese.