Back Acne Basics

Back acne can be a very painful and embarrassing condition for both men and women to live with, especially when you have no idea of the cause or treatments. There are several things those suffering from frequent or sporadic back acne outbreaks can do to reduce their appearance, frequency and even prevent it in the future. However, it is important to remember that each person is different and there are so many known and unknown causes of acne, so not everything will work immediately and outbreaks are always possible.

Back acne, like other forms of acne is a combination of genetic and personal skin type, susceptible to oil, dirt and irritation. Because the back produces more oil and the glands are generally larger, acne that forms here may prove to be more visible with larger skin lesions than you would get on your face. In most cases, back acne is not a problem until puberty hits and can be present from then all the way through adulthood. At this time, your pores will begin developing more oil and your pores have a greater chance of becoming blocked, which produces the large red spots and bumps that you can see and feel.

In the case of back acne, there are several things that you can do and over the counter products you can use to reduce the appearance of any future outbreaks. Regularly scrubbing your back each night, when there is the most oil present on your skin, is important. Using over the counter products that are good for busting through body oil, clearing pores and have some exfoliant present in them are also very helpful in reducing the number and degree of outbreaks that you will experience.

Other effective ways of reducing the appearance of back acne are as simple as changing the way you dress and keep up your appearance. Long hair has been known to aggravate the buildup of oil on the back and many sufferers have noted a huge improvement when hair was cut or kept off the back. Also, allowing the skin to breathe and sweat in cotton clothing versus fabrics that suffocate your skin and cause you to sweat even more.

Treating and dealing with back acne is something that most people will have to do in their lifetime. If you have consistent or worse reactions than others though, do not give up trying or continue trying to hide it. There are several new products coming out onto the market all the time as we learn more about what causes and reduces the appearance and occurrence of acne on our skin.