Body Acne Causes and Solutions

Body acne is often caused by the same factors that cause facial acne. Bacteria, excessive oil, and dead skins are the main culprits. People with body acne will usually find that the pimples occur on the upper back and chest. These areas contain a large number of sebaceous glands that produce skin oil. When these glands are overactive, they often clog pores and create an environment where bacteria can cause blackheads and whiteheads.

Increased Body Acne during the Summer

Some people find that they experience more body acne during the summer. Research has shown that heat does not cause acne, but it can irritate your skin and cause small pimples to become inflamed and, therefore, more noticeable. If you are more active during the summer than other months, then sweat could cause your body acne to become red and irritated.

Body Acne and Clothing

Many people also find that certain types of clothing seem to cause body acne breakouts. It turns out that certain types of clothing don’t actually cause more body acne, but, like sweat and heat, some fabrics can irritate the skin and cause pimples to become more noticeable. The same is true of tight clothing, such as those that are commonly worn by athletes. As the fabric rubs against your skin, it inflames the pimples. This can result in painful areas that are easy to notice.

Treating Body Acne

Since body acne is caused by the same factors that contribute to facial acne, you can use the same products to prevent pimples from forming. There are several over-the-counter treatments that can eliminate body acne and prevent future outbreaks. It could take a few tries before you find the body acne treatment that works best for you, though.

The most effective body acne treatments usually contain benzoyl peroxide. This active ingredient has the ability to break apart that mixture of oil and dead skin cells that often clogs pores. Once the pore is unclogged, the benzoyl peroxide can get inside the skin and eliminate the bacteria. Plus, benzoyl peroxide acts as an oxidizer: it increases the presence of oxygen in the skin, which makes it harder for bacteria to live there.

When choosing an OTC body acne treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide, you should use a product that contains a small amount of the active ingredient. Benzoyl peroxide is an effective body acne treatment, but it can cause some side effects too. Common side effects include dry skin, flaking, peeling, and itchiness. In rare cases, some people have experienced swelling. Using a small concentration of benzoyl peroxide will help you avoid these side effects. In most cases, these side effects are easily controlled with an oil-free moisturizer.

Note that some body acne treatments sold over the counter contain concentrations of benzoyl peroxide as high as 10 percent. These are powerful products that are designed for the most challenging cases of body acne. Always start with a lower concentration to make sure your skin does not experience significant side effects.