Another day, another cheeky spot that’s made its way onto our body in the night (so sly). It’s not how it looks (no yellow-tinged pimple will distract from that smile of yours), it’s that it’s damn uncomfortable. Turns out, that pulsating pimple could be trying to tell you something; as each affected area relates to something going on internally. We’re decoding our spots – place by place – figuring out the cause and how you can shift them.
By Rachel Spedding
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1 ForeheadThose cheeky two, three (or many more) bumps residing on the forehead are often caused by an unbalanced diet. If leftover pizza is your breakfast go-to (cold slice on a Saturday morning not included), this could be the culprit. Try introducing loads of leafy green vegetables into your food plan – with room for a cheat day, of course – to see if it has an impact.
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2 Between the eyes
An unwelcome little visitor, right between your well-sculpted brows, that’s all too tricky to hide. Bad news. Your liver’s causing this one. Slow down on the alcohol, gang, the toxins found within it are trouble for our skin. Try drinking a large glass of hot water and lemon each morning. Not quite as delicious as a crisp (bottle of) rosé, but needs must.
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3 The nose
It’s like nose spots know to appear at the very tip. Surprisingly, these spots could be the result of high blood pressure (and dirty makeup brushes, FYI). Reducing meat intake might help a little, as well as eating and drinking more of the ‘good stuff’, ripe in omega 3. It’s a good idea to check the expiry dates of your makeup too, or your pores are sure to suffer.
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4 The cheeks
There are a number of causes for that contour line of pimples on your cheekbones – usually, an unclean blusher brush. Or your mobile phone. Make sure to clean it regularly with antibacterial wipes, or a whole lot of germs will transfer to your face with every phone call/every time you drop it on your face in bed. Your pillowcase harbours bacteria too, so it's a good idea to change it regularly.
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5 The chin
Blaming this one on the hormones (especially if you’re a woman over the age of 25). Hormonal acne usually appears around the chin area in large, red bumps, or smaller whiteheads that never break the surface. Your body could be over-producing oil, which combines on the skin’s surface and clogs pores. The chin is also the part of our face we touch a lot. Crack out the hand sanitiser (as if it wasn't already out).
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6 The neck
There are a number of sweat glands on the back of your neck, and a build up of oil and bacteria are strong candidates for spot formation. Try wearing man-made fibres more often, and looser clothing (and jumping in the shower straight after a workout – or hefty night on the dancefloor). Good to know though, sweat flushes the skin of debris too, so it’s not all bad.
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7 The chest and back
Deep breath, this one stings. Spots on your chest and back could be caused by your wardrobe. Yep, clothes. Clingy fabrics that trap heat, dirt and grime on unwashed attire, strong detergents that your skin just doesn’t like, and too-tight bra straps (causing irritation and acne) – all of it could be encouraging pimple cameos across your chest and back. Clean everything, regularly, with sensitive-skin products. Maybe lounge around in baggy clothing more often too (result).
There you go, the anatomy of spots. For a real deep clean of your skin, a facial is a good go-to, extracting clogged pores and resurfacing fresh skin cells. A full body exfoliation can help too (it works a treat at removing dead skin). If you are struggling with continual acne, head to your doctors, there might be a medical solution.
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