It happens when sweat, oil, dead skin cells and bacteria get trapped in your skin's pores. Backpacks, sweaty shirts or sports equipment can create friction on your back and worsen back acne. You can treat back acne by keeping your skin clean and using acne-fighting skin creams.
Back acne, or backne, occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the sebaceous glands block pores, causing inflammation. It can be harder to see and reach acne on the back in order to treat it. However, a range of effective OTC and prescription treatments are available, and using an applicator can help.
Back acne is more severe than acne in other areas. Usually, it has bigger inflammatory regions because there's just more surface area on your back than in other places. And because back skin is so thick, breakouts go deep under the surface. That means treatment for back acne demands a different approach.
Although it might feel good to pop a pimple, dermatologists advise against it. Popping a pimple can cause infection and scarring, and it may make the pimple more inflamed and noticeable. It also delays the natural healing process. Due to this, it is usually best to leave pimples alone.
"Bacne is a frustrating and often embarrassing condition, and it can even cause people to avoid wearing open-back clothing and avoid participating in certain activities," says Stacy Chimento, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Riverchase Dermatology in Florida.
Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
“Hot water strips the skin of its natural oils and healthy bacteria,” Grous explains, “which plays a major role in keeping moisture in—and the bad stuff out. And because dryness triggers the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, hot water can worsen preexisting acne or cause a breakout.”
If traditional acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid don't seem to be making a dent in your bacne, that could be an indication it's yeast folliculitis, says Dr. Bhanusali. In that case, he recommends using a dandruff shampoo like Head & Shoulders as a body wash.
Back acne is a common form of acne because of the high number of oil glands on the back. There are multiple causes of back acne. Pores can become clogged with sebum and dead skill cells, leading to acne. Hormonal changes can also cause back acne.
Researchers say foods high in fat, sugar, and dairy ingredients can raise the risk of adult acne. Foods such as milk chocolate, french fries, and sugary drinks are among those that can increase acne risk.
Regularly washing your pillow case as well as sleeping on your back can help eliminate acne caused during sleep. Specifically sleeping on your back can keep pores open and refreshed, preventing angry breakouts and flare-ups the next day.
Cold water tightens your pores and reduces the overproduction of sebum and excretion of acne-causing bacteria. In contrast, hot water opens them and does the complete opposite, leaving your skin more prone to irritation.
1. Wash Your Back. We hope this goes without saying, but showering and washing your back on the reg can really help to reduce bacne breakouts. Wash your back with soap and water every day and use a back loofah to reach any parts of your back that you can't reach on your own.
It is proposed that the sebaceous glands that cause acne are present on the face and forehead as they confer a selective advantage by 'lubricating' the widest parts of the new born baby to ease the passage of childbirth.
It's tempting, but popping or squeezing a pimple won't necessarily get rid of the problem. Squeezing can push bacteria and pus deeper into the skin, which might cause more swelling and redness. Squeezing also can lead to scabs and might leave you with permanent pits or scars.
Acne extraction is usually offered when other acne treatment fails to clear the skin. it's rarely a first choice because it takes time and can be expensive. When performed by a dermatologist, acne extraction is a safe way to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads.
Several over-the-counter and prescription treatments can clear up back acne. But it may take a few months for skin to clear.
This contagious skin disease will usually clear on its own, but sometimes dermatologists recommend treating it.
Acne commonly starts during puberty between the ages of 10 and 13 and tends to be worse in people with oily skin. Teenage acne usually lasts for five to 10 years, normally going away during the early 20s.
“Use a long handled cleansing sponge with your acne-fighting body wash, or even a body brush. These clean the back thoroughly in the shower,” says Dr. Nancy Samolitis.
Oral antibiotics can be prescribed in the short term to reduce the amount of C. Acnes bacteria on the skin, which will often decrease the number of pimples and make it easier for the skin to heal during a breakout. In very severe cases where other treatments aren't effective, and isotretinoin may be prescribed.
According to Dr. Kara Shah, a board-certified dermatologist, “bacne” is the result of an accumulation of dead skin cells and oil that clog the pores on the back. This build up may lead to inflammation, which then appears as acne.