Back Acne Treatment: 5 Habits You Didn't Know Can Help Get Rid of Bacne

Back acne or bacne can be a real confidence buster. Imagine working so hard to keep your face clear only to have breakouts on your back — but it does happen. Bacne occurs when oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells clog the pores on your back and cause inflammation. It has many triggers, including contact with dirt and friction. Any back acne treatment could take longer to work because you can't access your back the way you can your face. Here’s what you can do while you wait.

Sweat can aggravate back acne and render your back acne treatment ineffective. Just the mix of bacteria and oil that accumulates on the skin while working out is enough to trigger a breakout. Therefore, make sure to shower after working out to keep your skin clean and prevent clogged pores. Use LIFEBUOY Antibacterial Bodywash Total 10, which has ActivSilver+, which eliminates germs from the body.

While it’s true that acne is not a hygiene problem (it’s mainly because you have an oily skin type), germs can make your bacne situation worse. An oily scalp, for example, can cause bacne flareups, too. Dandruff is dry, dead skin cells that can fall off the scalp and onto your back, where it can clog your pores. Getting rid of dandruff with a product like CLEAR Cool Sport Menthol Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Men, which keeps your scalp clean and your head cool, can help reduce breakouts.

You can also keep sweat at a minimum with Rexona Men Ice Cool Roll-on Antiperspirant Deodorant while staying odor-free. This can keep extra sweat from contaminating your back and clogging your pores. Everything helps!

Your sheets can soak up oils from your back and head, especially if you like sleeping without a shirt. Make sure to change your sheets at least once a week — more if it’s been warmer than usual. Change your pillowcases, too. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, this will prevent the transfer of oils and dead skin from your bed to your back and face, keeping future breakouts at bay.

Friction can also cause breakouts in the form of acne, or sometimes, folliculitis, which looks a lot like acne. The latter is the inflammation of hair follicles, which works similarly. The human body has around five million hair follicles and all of them are at risk of getting clogged and inflamed.

If you’re going to be sweating or engaging in physical activity, wear loose-fitting, breathable clothes to minimize friction that can be aggressive on the pores. Tight shirts can also trap moisture and oil, increasing your risk of bacne. Friction from bags, especially backpacks, can also be a trigger. If you have bacne, consider switching to a tote or sling bag while you’re doing your back acne treatment.

Sun exposure can damage the skin in various ways. It can cause dryness, which many think helps get rid of acne. Quite the opposite: dry skin produces more oil that can clog your pores. Back acne treatments can be drying, too.

The solution: wear an oil-free sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily to protect your skin from UV rays, especially if you’re doing outdoor activities that could leave your back exposed, such as biking, running, or hiking. Yes, wear SPF even if you have a shirt on. After sweating, shower immediately (as mentioned above) to rinse the product off your skin.

Practice these habits while undergoing back acne treatment to speed up the healing process and clear your back, ASAP.