Ladies, you are certainly familiar with the appearance of pimples on the face. However, the face is not the only part of the body that can be a place for acne to appear. Acne can appear anywhere on the body that has oil glands or hair follicles, including the back, chest, and shoulders.
Causes of Acne on Back
Back acne is the result of the accumulation of dead skin and oil in the skin pores which is exacerbated by the growth of the skin bacteria Cutibacterium acnes, which triggers an inflammatory response. Acne that grows on the back or shoulders is often associated with sports activities that cause increased sweat production coupled with skin friction with sports clothes. The factor of cleanliness of clothes and bedding can also cause acne on the back.
How to Overcome Back Acne
Here are some tips that can be done to treat back acne:
- Use anti-acne cream
If it's still mild, anti-acne creams with ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur can remove acne scars and prevent them from coming back. Another alternative is to choose a bath soap with anti-acne ingredients.
- Clean the skin regularly
Choose a bath soap with a non-comedogenic and oil-free label to avoid clogging skin pores. Scrub your skin gently because harsh scrubs, loofas, and exfoliators can damage the skin's protective layer and make acne worse.
- Take a shower after exercising
Hot and humid air can accelerate the growth of bacteria. Therefore, immediately take a shower after you finish exercising. If you can't take a shower immediately, wipe off as much sweat as you can and change into clean clothes.
- Don't pop the pimple on your back
Squeezing and popping pimples only making them worse while injuring the skin on the back. Our body skin takes longer time to heal from scars than facial skin.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure
Ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun can make pimples blacken and cause scars on our backs and bodies. Besides being able to improve the condition of acne on the back, wearing sunscreen can also protect us from the dangers of skin cancer.
- Wash bed sheets regularly
Cleaning the bed sheets where we sleep can prevent back acne from getting worse. When we wash our sheets, we also remove bacteria and dead skin cells from our bedding.
- Don't hesitate to check yourself
If self-care is still not enough to treat back acne, don't hesitate to visit a dermatologist. A dermatologist can evaluate the condition of our back and determine the real root of the problem.
Acne on the back is easier to hide than acne on the face. However, that doesn't mean we can just let it go. Proper skin care can result in healthy skin that looks cleaner and brighter.
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Sources:
Goldman, R. & Taylor, S. (2019). How to Get Rid of Back Acne. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-back-acne
Higuera, S. & Radusky, R. (2020). Back Acne (‘Bacne’): Why Pimples Pop Up, and How to Prevent and Get Rid of Them. Everyday Health. [online]. https://www.everydayhealth.com/acne/back-acne-treatment.aspx