Sadly, acne doesn’t just appear on the face. It can rear its ugly little head in any part of your body that has hair follicles or oil-secreting glands such as your back, shoulders, and chest. Bacne or back acne can be especially bothersome. Although 92% of individuals have facial acne, 60% of then suffer from chest and back acne. Unfortunately for some, having chest and bacne might indicate that you have severe acne. Like your face, your back contains tons of sebaceous glands that produce an oily substance called sebum. Sebum, coupled with bacteria and dead skin cells, could clog your hair follicles that will gradually break down and turn into acne lesions.
How to Prevent Bacne
While you can’t possibly control whether or not you get acne on your back since the primary factors that make you susceptible to developing it such as genes and hormonal fluctuations are beyond your control, you can, however, minimize your risk of developing more lesions in the future by doing these things:
1. Don’t use skincare and body care products with an oil base.
Refrain from using oil-based moisturizers, serums, lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, conditioners, and shampoos that may come in contact with your back and cause bacne flare-ups. Opt for non-comedogenic products that won’t clog your pores.
2. Reassess the meds you’re taking.
Certain drugs such as lithium, birth control pills, and male hormones like androgens can increase your risk of developing acne. Speak to your doctor if you think one of the drugs you’re currently taking is to blame for your bacne situation.
3. Reduce pressure and friction on your back.
Prolonged friction and pressure on your back, such as when wearing shoulder pads for sports or simply carrying a backpack could trigger the development of acne mechanica, a form of bacne.
How to Treat Bacne
If there’s already a bacne situation going on, you can prevent new ones from forming by:
1. Don’t squeeze and pop your bacne.
Popping can lead to aggravating your blemishes and possibly infecting them so just don’t. In some cases, this can also lead to scarring.
2. Use proven anti-acne OTC medications.
You can try using OTC meds for controlling mild bacne. These meds usually contain anti-acne giants such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, retinoids, and alpha-hydroxy acids. If these don’t work, visit your local skin doctor in Salem to ask about prescription acne meds.
3. Follow a bacne-friendly skincare routine.
Aside from using anti-acne products, you should also clean your skin with a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser, clean your hair and ensure that there’s no leftover product on your back, and shower after your workout.
Do note though that you need to be patient because treating bacne could be a rollercoaster journey. You also need to be consistent with your meds and skincare regimen for them to work. In the event that you’re still not seeing any improvements after a couple of months, you might benefit from professional advice. Keep in mind that you might have to try many different products and treatments to find the best one for you, but once you do, continue doing what you’re doing to keep bacne flare-ups at bay.
