When you’re bombarded with filtered skin and Photoshopped bodies on social media and magazines every day, it’s easy to forget that things like body acne are super-common! Yet despite its normalcy, body acne can be a big source of insecurity for many people. Though inundating your skin with a ton of different products and formulas may seem tempting, the first step to treating body acne should be finding the root of the problem. Here, we’ll break down the top causes of body acne on your chest, back, and butt so you can nip the problems in the bud!
Chest Acne
Chest acne can be particularly painful, but it is typically caused by issues that can easily be remedied. For example, if you frequent the gym or spend lots of time in the heat, you’re probably no stranger to feeling your clothes stick to your skin. Unfortunately, materials slick with sweat can cause some serious acne! For a quick fix, opt for sweat-wicking undergarments or workout gear.
Poorly made perfumes, body mists, and lotions can also cause chest acne. So, if you notice that you only recently started dealing with the condition, think back to see if you’ve made a product switch within the past couple of weeks. Simply stopping the use of the product could clear your skin up!
Back Acne
Like chest acne, back acne can be caused by excessive sweat on the skin. If you can’t avoid keeping sweaty clothes on for hours at a time, try using wipes – like Duke Cannon Supply Co Cold Shower Body Wipes ($9.99, shop here) – to keep your skin feeling fresh and clean.
Another common offender of “bacne” is the oil that conditioners can leave behind in the shower. If you wash your body while you let your conditioner or hair mask set, you may want to switch up your routine. Let the conditioner set, rinse it out well, and then go in with your bodywash (paying extra attention to your upper back and shoulder area).
Acne on your back can also be caused by lots of friction – specifically from things like backpacks. If you can bear the weight, switching to a tote bag or roller bag could make all the difference!
Butt Acne
It’s rare to experience cases of true acne on your butt. Whiteheads and blackheads are the most common forms of body acne, so if you’re noticing these on your butt, you may want to mention it to your dermatologist.
It’s far more likely that you’re dealing with KP (keratosis pilaris) or inflamed hair follicles. If that’s the case, switching to a medicated bodywash can work wonders! The Kopari’s KP Body Bumps Be Gone ($24, shop here) has 10% AHA and other gentle exfoliating ingredients that increase your skin cell turnover rate, ridding your skin of unwanted bumps and acne.
Got any secret body acne-fighting tips? Share them with us in the comments section below!