Those who have acne will know that the pesky little whiteheads, cystic spot eruptions and blackheads aren’t usually contained to your face.
From bacne (acne on your back) to buttne (acne on your backside – yep, it’s a thing) body spots can be pretty rubbish to deal with.
What causes back acne?
We may be used to be discussing acne on our faces but on our backs is a different story. There are a range of reasons you might be suffering from the skin condition.
Back acne is typically caused by a build up of oils and dead skin cells in and around pores. The pores can become clogged and attract bacteria which thrives. This causes leads to an inflammatory response of the skin causing pustules and bumps.
If you do suffer from back acne, you’ll have likely noticed it starting around the time your hormones kick in. ‘Back acne onset predominantly starts from puberty and it tends to effect boys and men more. The main areas being upper back, lower back and shoulders.
Because it’s linked to our hormones, some might be more prone to the condition than others. ‘Individuals with oily skin or suffer with hormonal disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome are more prone to acne.
How do you get rid of back acne??
As debilitating as body acne can be (we feel you), you don’t have to swerve plans or cover up completely.
How To Get Rid Of Back Acne
- Swap Out Your Current Body Wash
That ultra-creamy, coconut-scented shower gel may feel seriously luxe, but if it doesn’t contain zit-zapping ingredients such as salicylic acid (a BHA that exfoliates the skin’s surface layer and unblocks pores of sebum and dead skin), glycolic acid (an AHA that dissolves the upper layer of dead skin cells to prevent spots and to blur red marks left behind by acne), and lactic acid (also an AHA with the same skin-smoothing, spot-preventing credentials as glycolic acid, just a little gentler on skin), then it might not be doing your body acne any good.
Acids like these prevent dead skin cells from building up and blocking your pores,’ explains London-based consultant dermatologists. And remember, cleanse your skin thoroughly in the shower every day.
