The medical term for this annoying problem is comedones. They are best managed with a coordinated effort of prescription strength medications and gentle skin care.  The medication of choice is a vitamin A based cream called a retinoid, which, under proper guidance, is safe to use in children and adults. These medications are designed to open up the pores of the skin and to keep them open. Over time this will help eliminate existing comedones and reduce the development of new lesions. The goal of gentle skin care is to minimize rubbing, exfoliating scrubs, and finger manipulation that can irritate the skin and make the problem worse. Patience is important with any acne treatment as marked improvement can take several months to achieve.