With the increased stress especially during this Covid-19 period, women have reported an increase in acne. This includes adult acne and maskne. It is as if acne on the face is not troubling enough, acne can also appear on the body especially on the back. There are plenty of ways to eradicate back acne.

What is Back Acne?

Back acne is pimples that show up across your back. Can be small little bumps or cystic acne. The underlying skin reasons for breakouts on your back are similar to those of facial acne. Pimples appear as a result of clogged pores, inflammation, excess sebum production and a compromised skin barrier. Whether or not you have facial acne does not necessarily mean that you will or will not have back acne. Our upper backs have more oil-producing sebaceous glands and therefore is more prone to pimples than other parts of your body. Other body areas where more oil is produced include the chest, shoulders and buttocks.

Why Do You Have Back Acne All Of A Sudden?

Hot, humid weather

Temperature rise and the weather becomes hotter and more humid, our skin will produce more oil than usual. At the same time, you will tend to perspire more, causing more heat and moisture to be trapped under your clothing, creating a superb environment for bacteria growth. Together with the dead skin, more bacteria and more oil, this combination creates breakouts on your back. In countries like Singapore, where the temperatures are always on the higher side, back acne is very common among women.

Tight Clothes and Poor Hygiene

Tight clothing or clothing made out of less breathable materials, can trap heat, sweat and oil causing the hair follicles on the upper back to be inflamed and small red bumps to appear. With increased home workouts during the pandemic, you may not be changing or showering right after a workout. Sitting in this sweaty clothing can cause clogged pores and promote more bacteria growth.

Poor Food Choices

Because inflammation is one of the underlying causes of me, food that causes inflammation can indirectly affect the breakouts on your back. Processed food, excess dairy and high glycemic (refined carbohydrates and high sugar) food can worsen the breakouts.

Toxin Built-Up and “Heatiness”

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practice believes that imbalances in the body can lead to acne appearing on the skin including the back. When you have upper back acne, you are more likely to be suffering Lung Heat, Stomach Heat and Toxic Heat. This excess heat and toxins in your body may be accompanied by other symptoms such as strong smelling sweat, dandruff, mouth ulcers, and a general feeling of heat and thirst.

Back Acne Treatments You Can Do At Home

Practice Good Hygiene
Change out of your workout clothes immediately if you can take a shower right after your workout. If you are not able to shower right after a workout, you should change out of your clothes and wipe yourself down. Practising good hygiene will help to reduce bacteria build-up and clogged pores and reduce back acne in the long run.

Wear Breathable Fabrics

Fast fashion may be giving us more affordable fashionable clothing but these clothes may not be necessarily made from good, breathable fabrics. You should opt for looser clothing and more breathable fabrics such as organic cotton. For athleisure wear, invest in quality outfits from reputable brands. Their outfits tend to help remove sweat from the body faster and are more breathable.

Use Body Wash with Anti-inflammatory Ingredients

Use a body wash that is specially formulated to help you avoid breakout on your body. bSoul Shower Gel is formulated with mallow, chamomile flower and oat extracts from organic forms to gently cleanse your skin while calming it with its anti-inflammatory actions. Avoid over cleansing your skin by showering too often or with shower gels that will strip your skin’s natural protective oil, these will cause your skin barrier to be less healthy and increasing the chances of getting breakouts on your back.

Stay Away From Pore Clogging Ingredients in Your Shower Products

Ingredients such as paraffin and mineral oil are commonly found in the shower products of major consumer brands and can clog your pores increasing the risk of zits on your back. Do not overlook these ingredients in your shampoo and conditioner as they can trickle down onto your back when you wash them off your hair and scalp in the shower. Remember to wash your back properly after your head routine it’s completed. If you are looking for a shampoo and conditioner that do not contain such ingredients, we love the bSoul organic shampoo and conditioner line and you can give them a try.

Anti-Acne Skincare Products For Your Routine

Practical lifestyle changes above can give you longer-lasting results for your back acne. Combining those habits with acne-fighting skincare products can help the skin to heal from acne faster. The ingredients used to tackle back acne are the same as face acne.

Exfoliants and Body Scrubs

Ingredients containing chemical exfoliants, such as AHAs and BHAs, can help to dissolve acne-causing dead skin cells and removing them faster without hurting the skin. You can also choose biotechnologically advanced botanical peels such as IOMA Soft Peeling. Avoid using brushes and body scrubs with grains can cause further damage to your skin and worsen the breakout.

Anti-Acne Serums and Creams

Salicylic acid it’s great for pimples and you can find it in bSoul Acne-Spot serum, which helps to remove excess dead skin cells while healing the pimples from within. We love IOMA Soothing Cream for the azelaic acid it contains. This ingredient has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties which makes it effective in the treatment of acne and can prevent future outbreaks and clean bacteria from your pores. The products that we suggest help you fight acne while improving the health of your skin. If your pimples are causing you too much despair, you may seek the help of a dermatologist for stronger, short term treatments.