Acne Guru

When people think of acne, they generally think about it as a problem that occurs on the face. The truth is that acne can happen anywhere on the body. The most common areas to have an acne flare-up are on the face, back, buttocks, arms, legs, and chest. One big problem area for many teens and adults with acne is the back. Back acne can be painful, itchy, and unsightly.

Common causes of back acne

Back acne has many causes, but the most common causes are fairly easy to control for many people.

Stress is one of the main causes of back acne. The most common cause, however, is heredity. Also, if you have hormonal problems in your family, and you have inherited them, they may result in you having a problem with acne on your back. Excessive sweating is another cause of back acne. This can be difficult to control and should be managed by changing your shirt if you sweat a lot and showering after working out or sweating excessively to wash away bacteria and germs.

Another common cause of back acne is clothes that are too tight and don’t allow your back skin any airflow. When tight-fitting clothing is worn while working out, such as with athletes who wear spandex or other tight material, the possibility of having problems with back acne increases. Keeping clean, using an antibacterial soap, and wearing clean clothes when you exercise are all good ways to try to avoid having a problem with back acne.

Another cause of back acne for some people is a sensitivity or reaction to either food, medication, or a certain chemical. In such cases, the acne should clear up once your exposure to the offending thing has ceased. Clearing up acne can take weeks to complete, so being patient will help keep the stress level you might experience low.

Treatments for Back Acne

Back acne, if not cleared up by taking steps to change the situation that caused it, can be treated with other acne treatments.

Sometimes, it’s necessary to get a prescription for an antibiotic such as tetracycline or minocycline to treat back acne. You might also be told by your doctor to use a back wash made up of 10 percent benzoyl peroxide. This will help keep the tough back skin clean and kill any bacteria that may be causing the acne to remain and spread. You can also use a Retin A cream to help clear it up.

Back acne treatments may be more difficult to get results with if your back has tougher skin. Back acne can also take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to begin to noticeably heal. Using this advice to keep your back clean, change into clean clothing often, reduce stress, and avoid any food, medication, or chemicals that might irritate it should go a long way in helping you overcome and heal from back acne.