Facial blemishes are nuisance enough, but zits that pop up on your back and butt are a new level of pain.
Body acne can swallow your self-esteem if the situation calls for a swimwear outfit or physical intimacy. Large spots on your derrière can cause discomfort if you’re working a desk job too.
Since the skin on your back and buns is thicker than your face, breakouts there take a longer time to heal. So to prevent them from forming altogether, we found five solutions to stop acne in its tracks.
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Sweat isn’t the sole cause of acne, but when it sits on the skin for a prolonged period, it mingles with sebum, bacterial, and dead skin cells. This creates a blocked pore which gradually blooms into a pimple.
Take a shower immediately after you’ve worked out; avoid hanging around in your activewear.
Heavily fragranced body cleansers can irritate the skin, so swap your strawberry scented body wash for one that contains charcoal, tea tree oil, lactic acid, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid. These ingredients slough off dead skin and heal blemishes.
You can also follow up with an over-the-counter exfoliating lotion or spray which features the same active ingredients. Steer clear of physical scrubs; they’ll irritate inflamed follicles and cause existing pimples to tear, spreading bacteria to other areas.
Synthetic fibres such as polyester, lycra, and nylon traps sweat. Combined with your natural oils, it forms a film over the skin, causing clogged pores and pimples. Switch to cotton or linen clothes and underwear—they’re incredibly absorbent and breathable.
Also, tight clothing causes friction and occludes your pores, which leads to irritation, inflammation, and eventual blemishes. If your clothes cling to your skin, you can still get bacne even if you’re covered in moisture-wicking fabric.
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Sugar and foods high on the glycemic index cause steep insulin spikes, which could exacerbate redness and clog follicles. To stave off inflammation, feed your body with foods with a lower glycemic index, such as vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.
Some studies also suggest a link between dairy and acne, so if all else fails, surrender your ice cream and cheese platters for a month.
Hair conditioners often have formulas which contain pore-clogging ingredients like silicones, shea butter, and oils. Due to their heavier molecular weight, these ingredients cling to your back and butt as you rinse the product out.
If you have long hair, flip it to the front when rinsing to avoid conditioner residue from running down your back. If you have short hair, rinse off the conditioner before you cleanse your body. This way, your body wash removes any slippery remnants.
Dealing with stubborn pimples on your back and butt can be frustrating. Hopefully, now you know about the five main causes of body acne, you’ll successfully get rid of those red bumps. We hope this guide was helpful!
This article was first published on 18 December 2018 and last updated on 9 May 2024.
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