Back Acne: How to Get Rid of Back Acne

Overview

Pimples can be a challenge to treat, no matter where you get them. Unfortunately, getting pimples isn’t limited to your teen years. Acne can happen at any age for a variety of reasons. Pimples can appear on any part of your body, including your back.

But it’s possible to clear up those blemishes. Here’s how:

What causes back acne?

There are many reasons people get acne, so it’s important to know why and how pimples form.

Your body produces an oil called sebum. It’s made in the glands connected to your hair follicles. Sebum moves up the hair follicles to add moisture to your skin and hair.

Pimples form when extra sebum and dead skin cells build up. This buildup blocks skin pores and bacteria. When the hair follicle wall swells out, it forms a whitehead pimple. When the clogged pore gets exposed to air, blackhead pimples form.

Some common causes of acne are:

• Genetics. Trouble with acne can run in your family.
• Medications. Acne can develop as a side effect of some medicines like certain antidepressants.
• Hormones. Hormonal changes in the teenage years are often the cause of acne. But for women past puberty, pimple outbreaks can be linked to hormonal changes that happen during menstruation and pregnancy.
• Sweat. Sweat, especially if it’s trapped under tight clothing, can make acne worse.
• Stress. Stress isn’t a direct cause of acne, but it could be a contributing factor.

Some research shows that foods you eat could be linked to acne.

Treatments for back acne

In most cases, you can get rid of acne by making some lifestyle changes and using at-home remedies. Here are some things you can do to get rid of back acne:

1. Shower after a workout

Letting the sweat and dirt sit on your skin after a workout can be a big contributor to back acne. Shower as soon as you can after a workout. You should also wash those sweaty workout clothes between sweat sessions.

2. Exfoliate

Use a gentle exfoliating scrub with ingredients such as salicylic acid to remove extra dirt and oils from your skin. This can help reduce the amount of dead skin that could clog pores.

3. Wear loose-fitting clothing

Your workout habits can irritate back acne. For example, tight clothing can trap dirt and sweat and rub it into your pores. Working out with no shirt against a sweaty gym machine or on a dirty floor, can also cause problems.

Go for loose-fitting clothing that lets your skin breathe and helps wick away sweat.

4. Try tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is made from the leaves of a tree in Australia. It’s been used by Australians for years to treat a variety of skin issues. Today, you can find many lotions, cleansers, and creams using the ingredient.

There is some evidence to suggest it might help in treating acne by killing extra bacteria.

5. Keep hair off your back

Long hair may be adding oil and dirt to the skin on your back, causing acne outbreaks. Wash your hair regularly, and put it in a bun or ponytail during sweat sessions.

Also, don’t allow conditioner or shampoo to run down your back. Ingredients in these products can contribute to clogged pores.

6. Choose sunscreen carefully

Protecting your skin from damaging sun is important, especially if you’re exposing your bare back. But greasy sunscreen can also contribute to clogging pores. Make sure to choose products that are oil-free and light on the skin.

7. Eat healthy

Ever heard the expression “you are what you eat?” An unhealthy diet can affect our bodies in a variety of ways. If you’re prone to acne, certain foods could be triggers.

Research shows that foods high on the glycemic index (GI), meaning they cause your blood sugar to rise quickly, may make acne worse. These foods include white breads, white pasta and rice, and white potatoes.

It’s a good policy to practice eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of:

• vegetables
• fruits
• lean protein
• whole grains

Medications for back acne

Some people need a little extra help when it comes to clearing up acne. If you’ve tried home remedies and aren’t getting relief, a dermatologist can prescribe oral medications or medicated creams.

A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in skin conditions, so they can also help you to find out the causes and triggers for your back acne.

When to see your dermatologist

Acne products can take about 10 weeks to take full effect, so patience is key. If a long period of time passes without any results, it may be time to see your skin care specialist.

Your skin care specialist can help treat chest acne for good by prescribing topical or oral acne medications. Such products are used regularly to help treat and prevent severe acne. In some cases, oral contraceptives may also help women with body acne. Your skin care specialist may prescribe antibiotics to treat severe inflammation related to cysts and other forms of severe acne.

What is acne?

Highlights

1. Acne is a skin condition that causes different kinds of bumps to form on the surface of the skin. These bumps include: whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.
2. Acne occurs when the skin’s pores get clogged with dead skin and oil. Acne is most common in older children and teens going through puberty, when hormones cause the body’s oil glands to produce more oil.
3. Several studies suggest that following a healthy diet can help prevent and treat acne. Specifically, foods rich in the following nutrients are linked to lower levels of acne: complex carbohydrates, zinc, vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants.

Acne is a skin problem that can cause several types of bumps to form on the surface of the skin. These bumps can form anywhere on the body but are most common on the:

• face
• neck
• back
• shoulders

Acne is often triggered by hormonal changes in the body, so it’s most common in older children and teenagers going through puberty.

Acne will slowly go away without treatment, but sometimes when some starts to go away, more appears. Serious cases of acne are rarely harmful, but can cause emotional distress and can scar the skin.

Depending on its severity, you may choose no treatment, over-the-counter treatment, or prescription acne medications to deal with your acne.

What causes acne?

To understand how acne develops, it can help to understand more about the skin: The skin’s surface is covered in small holes that connect to oil glands, or sebaceous glands, beneath the skin.

These holes are called pores. The oil glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Your oil glands send sebum up to the skin’s surface through a thin channel called a follicle.

The oil gets rid of dead skin cells by carrying them through the follicle up to the surface of the skin. A thin piece of hair also grows up through the follicle.

Acne occurs when the skin’s pores clog up with dead skin cells, excess oil, and sometimes bacteria. During puberty, hormones often cause oil glands to produce excess oil, which increases acne risks.

There are three main types of acne:

• A whitehead is a pore that gets clogged and closes but sticks out of the skin. These appear as hard, whitish bumps.
• A blackhead is a pore that gets clogged but stays open. These appear as tiny dark spots on the skin’s surface.
• A pimple is a pore whose walls open, allowing oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get under the skin. These appear as red bumps that sometimes have a pus-filled white top (the body’s reaction to the bacteria).

How does diet affect the skin?

One thing that can affect your skin is diet. Certain foods raise your blood sugar more quickly than others.

When your blood sugar rises quickly, it causes the body to release a hormone called insulin. Having excess insulin in your blood can cause your oil glands to produce more oil, increasing your risks of acne.

Some foods that trigger spikes in insulin include:

• pasta
• white rice
• white bread
• sugar

Because of their insulin-producing effects, these foods are considered “high-glycemic” carbohydrates. That means they’re made of simple sugars.

Chocolate is also believed to worsen acne, but it doesn’t seem to affect all people, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic DermatologyTrusted Source.

Other researchers have studied the connections between a so-called “Western diet” or “standard American diet” and acne. This kind of diet is based heavily on:

• high-glycemic carbohydrates
• dairy
• saturated fats
• trans fats

What foods are believed to help your skin?

Eating low-glycemic foods made of complex carbohydrates may reduce your risk of developing acne. Complex carbohydrates are found in the following foods:

• whole grains
• legumes
• unprocessed fruits and vegetables

Foods containing the following ingredients are also thought to be beneficial for the skin because they reduce inflammation:

• the mineral zinc
• vitamin A and E
• chemicals called antioxidants

Some skin-friendly food choices include:

• yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes
• spinach and other dark green and leafy vegetables
• tomatoes
• blueberries
• whole-wheat bread
• brown rice
• quinoa
• turkey
• pumpkin seeds
• beans, peas, and lentils
• salmon, mackerel, and other kinds of fatty fish
• nuts

Everyone’s body is different, and some people find that they get more acne when they eat certain foods. Under your doctor’s supervision, it can be helpful to experiment with your diet to see what works best for you.