7 Ways To Get Rid Of Back Acne

Back acne, or truncal acne, happens when the hair follicles under your skin become clogged. It is caused by an overproduction of sebum (oil) in your skin. And once the pores become clogged, we get an overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria which makes the inflammation and breakouts worse.

Controlling inflammation with a back acne diet is a great place to start clearing up bacne. The right foods plus an acne skin care routine and a few simple things you can do at home will get you on your way to clear skin.

7 Ways To Get Rid Of Back Acne

1. Eat An Acne Diet

Acne is really just a condition of inflammation and clogged pores. So eating foods that reduce inflammation will reduce acne. A back acne diet is the same as an acne diet. You'll focus on eating low glycemic index (GI) foods with means cutting way back on sugar and simple carbohydrates.

Choose plant-based foods, plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid cow's milk, and make sure you're getting your probiotics.

Reducing dairy may also help, but dairy has not been scientifically proven to cause acne.

2. Control Your Hormones

Androgen hormones, like testosterone, are triggered by inflammation to start overproducing. This changes the sebum (oil) in your skin to go from thin and watery to thick and sticky.

When sebum is thick and sticky it clogs pores and causes breakouts.

It's sometimes called hormonal acne, but really, the most common type of acne is caused by overproducing hormones.

Control your hormones with an acne diet and you can have better control of back acne.

3. Change Your Sweaty Clothes

Your body is going to be sweaty after a high intensity workout or a hot summer day. Make sure you change out of your sweaty clothes and take a shower ASAP.

If you don't have time to shower, use antibacterial wipes and make sure to change your clothes.

4. Use Body Wash With Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid (SA) is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA). It's an exfoliator that removes dead skin cells and smooths skin. It penetrates hair follicles to unclog pores and control oil.

SA acts as a chemical exfoliant, which feels less harsh than physical ones, like you might find in exfoliating body scrubs.

Pairing salicylic acid with hyaluronic acid helps retain skin's moisture and niacinamide helps to calm skin.

5. Check Your Shower Habits

Sometimes its your shower routine that's causing back acne. Hard water, product residue, and water temperature can cause back acne.

You Use Hard Water

Hard water causes back acne. Water coming from the tap often has heavy metals which make it impossible to rinse off pore-clogging cleansers and residues.

Using a shower head filter made to remove chlorine and heavy metals can help.

Wrong Water Temperature

Shower in warm water, not too hot and not too cold.

Cold water tightens the skin's pores, which doesn’t allow the natural secretion of sebum and acne-causing bacteria. Whereas hot water opens pores and stimulates excess sebum production that leaves it prone to further irritation. - Neil Sadick, MD, of Sadick Dermatology.

Shampoo and Conditioner Residue Causes Body acne

Wash and condition your hair before your body. Then use body wash (preferably with salicylic acid) to make sure your pores won't get clogged.

Shampoo and conditioner can leave a pore-clogging residue that causes body acne.

6. Do Your Laundry More Often

One of the most overlooked causes of back acne is dirty linens.

Sheets, including pillow cases, should be washed in hot water at least once a week. Towels should be washed after 2 or 3 uses in hot water.

Gym clothes and anything you wear that gets really sweaty and dirty should be washed after every use. If you're already doing this and you still have back acne, try switching to an active wear detergent.

7. Start A Back Acne Skin Care Routine

Your back needs skin care, too. After using salicylic acid body wash in the shower, develop a good back acne skin care routine.

Azelaic acid serum, topical retinoids, tea tree oil, benzoyl peroxide spot treatments directly to pimples, and follow with oil-free moisturizer.

A Dermatologist might prescribe Spironolactone, oral or topical antibiotics, Isotretinoin (Accutane), or birth control pills for more severe cases.

Along with an acne diet and skin care routine, make sure you're drinking enough water and using moisturizer.

If you don't have a helper who can rub moisturizer on your back, get an oil-free mist like this one.

Final Thoughts

Inflammation is the driving factor for back acne and almost every other type of acne. Controlling your hormones with food is easy, healthy, and won't hurt you to try.

Eating a low glycemic index plant-based diet will reduce inflammation and acne. Along with a back acne diet, use a shower filter, salicylic acid body wash, a good skin care routine, and follow our tips for your laundry. You'll be on your way to having clear skin.