How to Get Rid of Body Acne

While facial acne is usually called just “acne”, the term body acne is mostly reserved for acne that occurs anywhere else on the body, such as the back, chest, arms and legs. It is estimated that more than 75% of (facial) acne sufferers also have some form of body acne. While we all know how facial acne impacts self esteem during adolescence, people with body acne frequently deal with issues of low self esteem and being self conscious.

Generally, acne (whether it’s facial acne or body acne) is caused by an excessive production of skin oil (sebum) by the sebaceous glands that line the pores and hair follicles. In addition to skin oil, your pores can also be clogged by a build-up of dead skin cells. Body acne can be caused by a number of things including overactive sebaceous glands, a diet rich in carbohydrates, accumulation of dead skin cells, hormonal imbalances, stress, and humid weather. Whatever the cause, understand that certain areas such as your back or shoulders may be more susceptible to developing acne than other parts of your body.

Body acne can also be caused by shaving: men and women shave various parts of their bodies, especially during summer, and shaving can cause body acne. It usually starts with shaving stubble and some ingrown hairs. In order to minimize the chances of developing body acne, treat the shaved area with a mild exfoliator such as salicylic acid. Also, pay close attention to the direction your hair is growing. Never shave against the direction of growth. As a shaving alternative, you may try using depilatory creams, although these are very harsh to your skin.

Body acne is harder to treat than facial acne. This may be because certain areas (for example the back) are harder to reach. In addition, most skin on your body is thicker than that on your face, and needs higher doses of topical or oral medications than facial acne.

Before you invest in any body acne treatment, take a closer look at skin hygiene. One thing that can surely help to clear up body acne is by using skin care products that gently exfoliate the skin to eliminate dead skin cells. Use a body scrub with granular sugar, ground walnut shell, or something similar or instead use a body wash with a sponge that has some texture. Please remember that you do not need to scrub your skin hard. A sponge often does a better job exfoliating your skin than your hands can. However, if you have back acne, you may need to invest in a back-scrubber to eliminate those dead skin cells.

Almost all body acne treatments contain one of two commonly used compounds – salicylic acid (a beta-hydroxy acid) or benzoyl peroxide. These compounds help to unclog the pores and have anti-bacterial properties that assist in the fight against acne. Furthermore, these compounds help to reduce the oil content of the skin. While these compounds generally produce great results, care must be taken not to over-dry the skin. Of these over-the-counter acne treatments, salicylic acid is generally safer than benzoyl peroxide.

A number of vitamin supplements, such as vitamin B5 and vitamin A, have shown promising results in treating both body acne and facial acne. Vitamin D is also beneficial for healthy skin: it is naturally produced by the skin when our skin is exposed to UVB radiation. If you stay out of the sun a lot or during the cold winter months, be sure to supplement with vitamin D. In addition to over-the-counter body acne treatments, you may consider acne prescription medications for your body acne. Consult your dermatologist to determine if a prescription acne treatment is right for you. Whichever body acne treatment you decide upon, rest assured that in a couple of weeks you will be in control of your body acne and you can feel confident again.