Back Acne – An Unsightly Skin Condition

 Back acne aka "bacne" is similar to the acne that can exist on the face in that it can be in the form of pimples, filled pustules, blackheads and cysts. However, many people and doctors feel that back acne is often more severe than what appears on the face simply because there are thousands of skin pores on your back that have the potential of clogging up with bacteria and other material.

More painful and scarring, back acne can be unsightly, preventing you from being able to wear swimsuits, backless dresses, tank tops or even going shirtless due to embarrassment. The breakouts on the back typically start in puberty and eventually fade away leaving scars as you enter adulthood, although some adults do also have the condition.

Causes

 It may be more suitable to go through a list of things that do not cause back acne rather than try to pinpoint an actual contributing factor. The problem is there is no known cause, only speculation as to why back acne crops up which makes it harder to figure out how to prevent it. The only thing doctors and researchers know is true is that the back is full of sebaceous glands, which for some reason or another, become inflamed with debris and bacteria, causing acne.

Your diet and sweaty exercise regiment do not have anything to do with back acne nor does tight clothing or constant friction like a purse or backpack. Genetics supposedly does not play a part in it nor does stress, a factor common in contributing to facial acne.

Treatment Options

Your first inclination to treat back acne is to scrub hard with a drying soap as it must be your greasy, sweaty back which is contributing to the problem. Scrubbing hard with soap is exactly what you should not do as it will irritate your skin, dry it out and open it up to even more problems (i.e. breakouts).

Instead, back acne is best treated with a warm shower to open the pores, using a moisturizing antibacterial soap and a back brush with light scrubbing pressure, just to loosen dead skin cells. Next, dry your back with a clean towel or allow to air dry before applying a topical cream or gel with 10% benzoyl peroxide. This topical treatment can be found over the counter as well as through a doctor's prescription.

You should allow the topical treatment to dry thoroughly on your back before putting on clothes as it can be staining. Some doctors believe that this benzoyl peroxide treatment should be applied along with an alpha hydroxyl back acne treatment but you should speak with your dermatologist about it first.

Back acne is thought to be primarily caused by an accumulation of dead skin cells but there is no definitive evidence. However, exfoliating in the shower once or twice a week with a light salt or sugar scrub may prove beneficial in the prevention of back acne.