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Back Acne Plagues many people. We all know prevention is better than cure so I have put together a list of daily habits to prevent back acne. Try them before you let back acne get a hold on your body!
If you are looking for proactive ways to treat back acne, read about these 4 Active Ingredients and Products containing them to treat your back acne.
Acne is one of the most common skin diseases. Any person who suffers from acne, breakouts, pimples, or blemishes of any form, appreciates that it is not only the face that is affected by such afflictions. If you have facial acne, it’s likely you may also experience body acne at some point. Common places for body acne flare-ups include the back, shoulders, neck, and chest.
Back acne, sometimes coined as ‘bacne’ is just a serious an issue as facial acne and can affect people’s self-esteem in the same way as acne or blemishes on the face do too. No, it may not be as visible as the face, but it can certainly be as aggressive, widespread, and painful and often lead to larger infections.
The same type of treatment is available for people who suffer from back acne as people who suffer from acne of the face. These include creams, steroid creams, antibiotics, other oral medication, and medicated skincare regimes. Laser treatment is also an option for people with acne on the back.
Symptoms of Back Acne
- Blackheads
- Whiteheads
- Puss-filled pimples
- Cysts (Cystic acne)
- Nodules
- Papules
However, some of these symptoms do overlap with folliculitis. Folliculitis is not the same as acne and is caused by clogged hair follicles. If you’re not sure which skin disease you have, you may wish to see a specialist who can diagnose you and provide medical advice.
What Causes Back Acne?
Back acne is caused by clogged pores. The pores on your skin become clogged when dead skin cells build up on the surface of your skin and become mixed with excess oil and acne-causing bacteria.
The good news is we know of a few treatments that can help your skin get rid of those dead skin cells, control oil production, and kill the bacteria causing your acne pimples.
The Impact of Back Acne
Acne that affects the back can really impact your mental health and confidence. As it’s not as talked about as much or as visible as acne on the face, you may feel ostracised by your back acne and feel as though you’re alone in your struggles. And during those hot, summer months, you may wish to wear something that exposes your back but don’t feel able to do so.
However, acne on the back is a lot more common than you may think and many people do suffer from it at some point in their lives.
Also, there are steps and treatments you can take to get rid of your acne and banish breakouts on your back for good.
Practice These Daily Habits To Prevent Back Acne
1. Shower After Working Out!
Acne bacteria thrive on sweaty skin. So after a hard workout at the gym, make sure you change out of your sweaty gym clothes and take a shower as soon as you can.
If you can’t shower immediately, an oil-free cleansing wipe is a good alternative until you can get home and wash your skin properly!
Also, if you wear workout clothes that expose your back, you should always wipe down machines that your back will come in contact with as not doing so can worsen acne.
2. Think About Clothing!
Tight-fitting clothing or bag straps that continually rub against the skin can cause something called Acne Mechanica. Acne Mechanica occurs due to pressure and friction on the skin. Therefore, consider wearing more loose-fitting clothes.
Another tip is to think about the types of material you wear. Fabrics that are not particularly breathable can trap sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells, which as you now know is a recipe for clogged skin pores. Cotton is a soft fabric that is kind to the skin, and super comfortable to wear!
3. Check Your Laundry Detergent!
It may be that you are using a laundry detergent that is too harsh for your skin and is triggering breakouts on your back. Consider experimenting with a few different laundry detergents- ideally ones that don’t contain too many harsh chemicals and are formulated for sensitive skin!
4. Moisturize!
A lot of people know to regularly moisturize their skin and neck, but not many moisturize their back. Keeping the skin on your back hydrated will help protect and replenish your skin barrier. This in turn will improve the health of your skin and can even prevent more breakouts
5. Make Time to De-stress!
Growing evidence suggests that stress can cause and exacerbate acne, so it’s important to take a little time for yourself every day and do something relaxing. Whether that’s watching your favorite Netflix show, reading a good book, or taking part in a yoga class!
CONCLUSION
Though back acne may be a problem for a lot of people, there are a number of ways in which you can target and control it.
Some of these don’t have to be medicinal as acne can often be improved dramatically through subtle diet changes (i.e., incorporating more vegetables into your daily eating habits or swapping out fizzy drinks for plain old water).
Establishing a proper skincare washing routine, making sure you shower properly and wash pores efficiently after exercise, and staying out of the sun or wearing appropriate sun protection. Also, invest in a good body wash that contains one of the active ingredients listed above!
