Acne V. is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become clogged with sebum (oil) and dead skin cells, causing whiteheads, blackheads, spots and inflammation. Acne v. can affect people of all ages, but is most common among teenagers.

Acne can be hereditary, you are much more likely to suffer from it if both your parents had it.

The majority of cases are caused through hormonal changes. Androgens increase during puberty causing sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. Cortisol (the stress hormone) in excess, increases the activity of the sebaceous glands, it also reduces the effectiveness of the skins acid mantle (protective layer), leaving it susceptible to infection and irritation.

Using harsh cleansing products on the skin will also damage the skins acid mantle. It’s a really common mistake to use harsh, drying products on an acne prone skin. Medications such as steroids, Lithium (for depression and bipolar disorder) and some drugs used to treat epilepsy can cause acne V.

There are some studies which suggest that a carbohydrate rich diet may worsen acne. Although there is nothing definitive on this yet, I suggest keeping a food diary would be a good way to see of you have any food triggers.

The actual cause of acne rosacea is unknown but some factors have been identified as being possible causes, such as a reaction to the demodex mite. The demodex mite is commonly found on the face, but they seem to be present in much greater numbers on people who suffer with rosacea. Rosacea can also be hereditary.

There are several triggers which can make rosacea worse, these include:

• Exposure to the sun
• Stress
• Hot humid weather
• Hot drinks Alcohol/caffeine
• Spicey foods

Age spots, sun spots or liver spots are mostly found on the face, hands, forearms and décolleté, as these areas are commonly exposed to the sun.

Sun spots are caused by over active melanocytes (pigment cells). Skin that has had years of sun exposure can develop pools of melanin, creating a pigmented spot.

Broken capillaries, telangiectasia, spider naevi usually appear on the face around the nose, cheeks and chin.

They can be caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy, menopause and puberty. You may inherit a gene that makes you more susceptible to broken capillaries.

The pressure of wearing glasses can cause them to form over the bridge of the nose. Exposure to extremes of temperature, ageing, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can all cause a vascular appearance.