How To Banish Bacne For Good
Posted by Ellie Swain on Feb 15th 2021
There’s nothing worse than getting ready for a big night out by wearing a new strapless LBD only to discover bacne has cropped up all over your back. If zits on the face aren’t bad enough, it seems that they can’t resist developing on your body too.
So, why is your back breaking out? Well, the back has a higher density of glands that create oil and sweat than other parts of the body, making it particularly prone to acne.
Fortunately, like acne on your face, bacne is treatable. You just need to know what to do, and that’s where we come in to help. Keep reading for our tips on how to banish bacne once and for all.
Change Your Current Body Wash
That rich, almond-scented body wash may feel like heaven on your skin, but if lacks in certain zip-zapping ingredients, it isn’t going to do much to treat bacne.
Seek formulas featuring ingredients like salicylic acid (a BHA that exfoliates the skin’s surface layer and removes sebum and dead skin from pores) or glycolic acid (an AHA that dissolves the upper layer of dead skin cells to treat red marks lingering from acne and to prevent further breakouts.)
Lactic acid is another AHA that works well for bacne too. The ingredient boasts the same skin-smoothing and spot-preventing properties as glycolic acid, it’s just a little gentler on the skin.
These super-ingredients stop dead skin cells from building up and blocking your pores. And, as always, be sure to cleanse your skin in the shower daily thoroughly.
An excellent bacne-combatting cleanser from our collection is Murad’s Acne Body Wash. The solution is packed full of physical exfoliants and salicylic acid to treat and prevent body breakouts such as those developing on the back.
As well as deep-penetrating salicylic acid, the acne treatment body wash features green tea and licorice root extract to soothe and calm irritated and angry skin.
Bonus: you’ll also prevent acne from developing from any part of your body with this cleanser. The refreshing body wash treats and prevents acne everywhere, including the back, neck, and shoulders, without over-drying the skin.
Shower Immediately After a Workout
We’ve all been there. You finally finish a grueling workout, and you collapse in a heap, ready to take a very long time-out. But, beware of that leisurely break as the bacteria responsible for developing acne thrives on hot, sweaty skin.
Whether you work out daily or it’s more of a sporadic event for you, you must remove your gym clothes and shower as soon as possible following a workout. Even if the exercise hasn’t been too strenuous, cleaning off any sweat is essential.
While acne isn’t related to cleanliness, sweat can aggravate the skin. Plus, when you’re washing and conditioning your hair, formulas can drop residue on your back, clogging pores and leading to bacne. So, be extra careful when cleaning and rinsing your hair – otherwise, the bacne will come for you.
And when you’re finished with the next workout, hop into the shower immediately. That means no scrolling through Instagram and or switching on Netflix. You can do that after you’re squeaky clean.
Use a Scrub Pre-Shower
If you suffer from under-the-skin spots or blackheads on your back, using a good quality scrub a couple of times a week can help. But, as tempting as it is to scrub away at those spots aggressively, be gentle and don’t be too harsh as this may lead to inflammation.
Tuel’s Body Polish Exfoliation Kit works wonders for reducing stubborn bacne, leaving the skin soft, smooth, and supple.
The low-foaming Green Clean bath gel is teeming with essential pine oil, bladderwrack, and a hint of glycolic to treat your bacne. Use the pumice gloves that come with the kit to provide gentle exfoliation, allowing dead skin cells to dissolve.
Not only does the kit combat bacne, but it helps prevent ingrown hair from developing too. It’s a win-win.
Swap Your Clothing
Did you know that certain types of clothing can trigger a body breakout? Your workout clothes, plus the act of exercising, provides the perfect conditions for breakouts to thrive. That’s because tight clothing can send oils or bacteria deeper into the pores.
Opt for flowing, breathable materials like cotton or moisture-wicking items. And as mentioned previously, hop in the shower ASAP after any type of workout. Even if it’s a gentle yoga session with minimal sweating.
Visit a Dermatologist
Not having much luck with the above tips? If your bacne still doesn’t budge, consider arranging a consultation with a dermatologist.
A dermatologist can provide you with personalized advice to help you keep your bacne under control. Or, they may suggest an oral or topical prescription medication that may do the trick.
Do you want more skincare advice? Here’s how alcohol affects the skin.