Hello Ladies
Today we have a reader’s question from Jen who has consented to my request to post it up here so you can all help her out in her predicament (and learn something new at the same time!)
Dear Paris B,
[snip]
I need your advice on something though. It has been bugging me for almost a year now and I am very embarrassed to talk about it usually but I think it is about time. I am suffering from body acne at my back. It is quite embarrassing as I am 18 and I want to wear spaghetti strapped clothings or pretty dresses and I am afraid people would stare at my back. I tried using T3 and Tea Tree Oil but it doesn’t seem to work. What should I do? What about the scars? Really hope you could give good advice on this!
Thanks!
xoxo
Jen
Well the problem is, I don’t have back acne or also known as bacne. The few times I had problems I traced it to my shampoo and conditioner and the problems went away once I stopped using the products. If you have ever wondered if shampoo and conditioner can cause acne on your face or anywhere, the answer is yes it can. I can testify to that!
Since Jen had already tried antibacterial body washes and my old staple of tea tree oil, I was at a loss. I suggested that she wear more cotton based clothes because cotton breathes, unlike synthetics. If nothing works, I did suggest that she could consult a dermatologist to address the problem once and for all with medication.
As for scars, my experience has been that moisturized skin heals faster so using a body lotion especially with vitamin E will help the healing process.
So I’m going to turn it over to you. If you have suffered bacne and found a cure or if you know of someone who has cured their back acne problems, do share. We can all benefit from this 🙂
Paris B
For the scars I would recomend BioOil which my frieds swear by to lighten and eventually get rid of scars of all kinds (even stretch marks!)
For the bacne, my bf has loads of those too but once I advised him to start using loofahs or scrubs to wash his back, the problem diminished. Special soaps work to an extent for some ppl too. Unfortunately the one I’m referring to is not a mainstread brand as my mum gets it from Amway. Hope this helps.
I have had this problem, and still do on occasion.
1) After exercising, take a facial wipe to your back. Dirt likes to stick to sweat, and leaving it there to dry is as bad as on your face. It uses wipes up faster, but it’s worth it.
2) If you have long hair, invest in metal chopsticks for your bathroom. When conditioning your hair, and leaving it to sit in particular, don’t let it touch your back. You have to be careful using the chopstick to get your hair in a bun, since you can cause damage, but since your hair is wet, it will stick easier. Practice makes perfect on this one.
3) Treat your pajamas like your pillowcase. Change regularly.
4) Like mentioned before, breathable fabrics are your friend.
5) Check to see if you are sensitive to your shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and body lotions. Any one of them could be causing you to break out.
Hope that helps ^_^.
I’ll share my personal experience although it may not be something that is applicable generally.
Some years ago, I experienced a sudden outbreak of back acne and nothing I tried would make it go away. The unsightly bumps and scars spread even to the shoulders. Eventually, I was diagnosed as having a thyroid condition and was prescribed the relevant medication. The acne disappeared almost magically and the scars followed suit. The message, I guess, is that it is possibly a hormonal issue if the outbreak was sudden and no general remedies seem to work. So maybe seeing a doctor may help if all fails.
I always had this problem coz I sweat a lot. I must scrub my back with a scrub towel. You can get it at 100Yen. I still get this problem especially when I am lazy to scrub my back and it kind gets oily from all those sweats. Once I scrub there wouldn’t be bacne at all. I have heard of this remedy using green peas. You simply moist the peas by washing them and blending it in a blender as you will be using it as a scrub to exfoliate your back. Try not to blend it too fine. I haven’t tried it personally but it works on some of my friends. 🙂
same here… I’ve been trying to help my sis get rid of her back acne… tried the tea tree oil and also the T3 back acne wash… all doesn’t work… she used bio oil and her scars have lightened… she even has them on her thighs cuz she likes to peel peel peel! And she has this weird habit of always scratching her back… try not to do that cuz it will reopen the scabs and lead to scarring…
Don’t peel! That’s what my sister can’t stop doing so no matter how many bottles of bio oil she uses, it won’t heal…
usually for me its a hormonal problem. comes and goes. when it starts popping out – i will head for a back acne facial. i went to Leonard Drake. After one session , it usually works for me. As for the scars, regular scrub session at home. Then if i’ve time-head to the beach for a suntan to even out the skin color. 🙂
Back acne is different from facial acne. The layer of skin on the back is thicker than on the face and is less frequently exposed to the elements and other factors that could aid in exfoliation. Below is a list of guide to treat back acne:
1. Heavy backpack is a “no-no”
2. Use mild exfoliating agent when shower
3. Wear clean and airy cotton clothes
4. Put a clean towel underneath your back before you lie down on any exercise machine or mat.
5. Unwise to go to steam room just after workout
6. After bath, dab anti-bacterial topical medication (like benzoyl peroxide) on affected area.
Use a body scrub every 2-3 days. That usually clears it up for me.
I suffered from it for years and although it was not serious but it was not a pretty sight! I discovered the culprit was the shampoo and even more so, the conditioner that I was using. I was sensitive to the artificial fragrance (plus a host of other chemicals in most hair products). I’ve now switched to using only natural shampoos/conditioner and problem is gone. Please also ensure that you shampoo hair then use conditioenr then wash your body and lastly your face. That way there is little chance of any residual hair product left on your back (which is not a good thing).
I had this once when I was a teenager about ten years back. Went swimming and suntanning and after that, the skin peeled off to reveal ‘new’ skin. This not so advisable action of mine dried up all the acne from all that sun and since then, I’m fine. Cross my fingers.
For hormonal problem, drink rose tea. About 5 pieces dried pink or red rose per cup per day. It works for my face and should be good for the back.
Benzoyl Peroxide. I asked an aesthetic doc about it once years ago, and he shrugged and said, “oh well, use Oxy 5 or 10”.
Treatment should be no different from face acne – you need to apply a peeling agent (something with salicylic acid), then apply benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria causing the acne. And keep doing it daily until the acne disappears.
My bacne went away after I stopped using shampoos and conditioners with any form of ‘cones in it. It wasn’t easy though as almost all hair products have ‘cones and now that I am returning to Malaysia… The hunt starts up again.
I still shy away from backless clothes though as the scars haven’t gone away. It looks like the plague and pox had a head on collision on my back.
Even if I didn’t have any back hairs.. I had it waxed.. and my pimples are all gone
I had not only bacne, but pimples and whiteheads all over my back, arms, chest and sometimes neck. It can be very annoying.
My acne started clearing up when I used The Body Shop’s bath gloves. You can use a loofah if you like, but I love the gloves as they really helped to clean my skin. I used T3 body wash, followed by their body spray which u can get at pharmacies. It’s a bit pricey for the amount (RM20 +-), but it works for me.
When I shampoo, I don’t get any on my back as I bend over to wash, so can’t comment on that. When I condition I use a plastic hair clip (or shark clip) to hold my hair up. After washing all that off, I give my body a rinse of water to make sure there’s no soap left behind.
Also, I often wear breathable material like cotton, and the same goes for bedsheets. They should be changed regularly.
Diet and stress are factors too
🙂
I have been suffering from acne at both back and face for a long period of time.
My mom recommended me to use oxy 5 cause oxy 10 tends to dry my skin out.
It is a very good product….when i used the 1st time for my back acne it cured almost
60%. My cystic acne had shrink and redness reduced remarkably..now im starting to.use t3 axne body wash….^ ^
Hopw this help you!!!