Bacne, a non-medical term for acne that appears on your back, can be painful and embarrassing, and sometimes it feels like it's harder to treat than acne on your face. Don't worry though — bacne doesn't have to be a problem you struggle with for the rest of your life. There are things you can do to reduce irritation and unclog the pores on your back so that your skin clears up.
Method1Making Changes to Your Lifestyle
Method1
1Wear a clean bra. If you wear a bra, it is extremely important it should be clean. Try to wear a fresh one each day. Your straps should be tight enough so as they do not rub against the acne when you move, which irritates it. If possible, wear a strapless bra as this reduces redness on your shoulder blades. [1]
2Wear breathable, clean, loose clothes. Ensure any material touching your back is clean and, if possible, made of primarily natural fibers such as cotton. Try to avoid tight-fitting clothing. Finally, the clothes should be laundered regularly--preferably after each wearing.[2]- Try to wash clothes in a gentle detergent with minimal or no scent. Acne can be caused or worsened by overly harsh or highly perfumed detergents.
- If possible, bleach your whites. Bleach kills any lingering bacteria on your clothing and impedes acne growth. Be sure to rinse completely to prevent the bleach from irritating your skin chemically.
3Shower after sweating. After going for a run or basketball practice, remember to hit the showers. Sweat that's not washed off your skin after exercise effectively creates a summer playground for bacteria that cause acne. Additionally, this sweat can also clog pores, causing acne to rear its ugly little head.[3]
4When you do shower, be sure to rinse conditioner out of your hair. One potential cause of bacne is conditioner that hasn't been properly washed from hair. Conditioner is great for your hair, but not so great for your back. There are several ways that you can help keep conditioner from invading your back and causing nasty little zits:[4]- Turn the water temperature down before you rinse conditioner out of your hair. Warm water will open up pores, while cool water will close them. Having open pores right when your conditioner is slurrying down your hair is not a good recipe for a pimple-free back.
- Wash your back last, after you have shampooed and conditioned.
- Instead of conditioning your hair in the shower, condition it after you get out with a leave-in conditioner.
5Change your laundry detergent. If you have sensitive skin, the laundry detergent you use may be irritating your skin. Try switching detergents. Or try selecting a laundry detergent that is unscented, or even designed for babies with more sensitive skin.[5]
6Wash your sheets regularly. Dead skin cells and bacteria collect quickly on sheets. Pets that sleep on the bed will also be tracking in dirt. Remove the sheets and wash or change them 1-2 times weekly.[6]- If you can bleach your sheets, doing so eliminates any acne bacteria still lingering through washing. Be sure they are rinsed completely to avoid any chemical-based irritation.
- Be sure to wash blankets, comforters, and other bedclothes regularly as well.
Method2Using Medicated Solutions
Method2
1Wash your whole body with an oil-free, medicated body wash. You want one with an active ingredient of 2% salicylic acid. Look for washes that are fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. Products like Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash are particularly good with this. Concentrate on the areas with pimples and wait a minute or so before rinsing to get rid of all the oil. Let the medicine sink in and do its work.[7]
2Moisturize with an oil-free, medicated lotion. Your skin is an organ in your body. Not figuratively, but literally. And like other organs in your body, it needs water and other nutrients in order to look and feel its best. Use lotion on your back whenever you've washed it (daily).- Alternatively, use a non-medicated lotion, but be sure that it is guaranteed to be non-comedogenic. This is necessary because salicylic acid dries out your skin.
3Spot treat with acne medication cream. Since you are already using salicylic acid to wash and moisturize, use a different medicine for spot treatment, such as 2.5% benzoyl peroxide.[8] Do not use 5% or 10% benzoyl peroxide if you have extremely sensitive skin because this will increase irritation. If you're sensitive to benzoyl peroxide, a 10% sulfur solution may work for you instead.
4Apply retinol cream. Put a retinol cream on your back at night. This exfoliates your skin and prevents breakouts in tough places.[9]
5Use AHAs and BHAs. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are essentially exfoliants, sloughing off dead skin that tends to clog pores and cause acne. Beta Hydroxy Acids fight the acne bacteria from the inside out. If you can, try to find a body scrub with AHAs and wash with that scrub three times per week. After showering and moisturizing, wipe your back with BHA-medicated pads.[10]
6See a dermatologist. It's entirely possible that this is a condition which requires prescription acne pills or topical creams. Don't be afraid to see a dermatologist to make sure.
Method3Naturally Getting Rid of Bacne
Method3
1Exfoliate gently by using a sponge or a loofah. don't scrub too hard, or you'll increase irritation. Instead, use your sponge to softly wipe down your skin and wick away any dead skin cells.[11]
2Try out zinc. Not a common household cure for acne, but certainly effective in some cases, zinc is a known enemy of acne.[12] Zinc is a metal that humans need in small doses to perform essential functions. In addition to treating acne, it is used to boost the human immune system. Zinc can be used to treat bacne in two different ways:- Apply zinc directly to skin. Try finding a lotion with 1.2% zinc acetate and erythromycin 4% and rub it into the skin twice daily. If you can't find this, puncture a zinc gel tablet, squeeze some of the gel onto your clean finger or a Q-tip, and apply directly to your back.
- You can also talk to your doctor about getting an antibiotic ointment with zinc as an ingredient.[13]
- Ingest zinc as a part of your daily vitamin regimen. Try taking zinc picolinate daily, about 25 to 45 mg. Do not take more than 50 mg daily, as this could put you at risk of copper deficiency, as larger doses of zinc interfere with copper absorption.[14]
3Make a natural exfoliating scrub. This will help remove dead skin cells that can clog pores and cause breakouts. Squeeze one grapefruit into a bowl with 1 1/2 cups of white sugar and 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt. Gently massage it into the affected areas, then pat dry. Be sure to apply a gentle moisturizer or lotion after any scrub.- A couple spoonfuls of honey make a great addition to this kind of scrub. Regular honey and the more potent Manuka honey are both hydrating and regarded for their antibacterial properties.[15]
4Change your skin's pH. pH is another word for the alkalinity of your skin. Scientists have determined that a skin pH of below 5 — the ideal being 4.7 — is beneficial to overall skin health and bacterial flora that help the skin.[16] Showering and using soap, in particular, can cause the skin's pH to go above 5, leading to dryness, scaliness, and breakouts.- Consider changing your shower head. Invest in a shower head that filters out the chlorine in your water. Your skin will thank you for it. Very decent shower head pre-equipped with filters only cost $25 to $50 and can have a profound impact on your skin.
- Prepare a mix of one part witch hazel and one part filtered drinking water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on your skin and let it stand for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off completely in the shower. This process will naturally lower your skin's pH.[17]
