What causes back acne? Can it be prevented?

Back acne—loving (or not so lovingly....) referred to as "bacne"—is a very common condition that can afflict all groups of people. Body acne is especially common in people who experience facial acne with studies showing nearly 50% of both males and females with facial acne also get blemishes on the body. Bacne is by a variety of factors including external elements like humidity, sweat, and friction on the skin as well as hormonal, dietary, lifestyle, elements. In all cases of back acne, there is a clogging of the sebaceous glands (i.e. skin oil glands) where a perfect storm of oil, debris, and acne-causing bacteria get stuck underneath the surface of the skin.

Common causes of back acne

1. Clothing: Wearing tight-fitting and/or (even slightly) dirty clothes can cause back acne by keeping bacteria in close (or direct) contact with the skin.

2. Sweat: When sweat is involved, it doesn't take much time for bacteria to fester and cause some serious damage to the skin. Sitting in sweaty clothes after a workout or using bacteria-laden sports equipment could be a culprit

3. Hygiene: Not properly (and regularly) cleansing your skin.

4. Sitting for long periods of time: Bacne can be triggered by something as simple as sitting for long periods of time at school, work, or on a road trip when the skin on your back is in constant friction with other materials

5. Diet: I diet heavy in inflammatory foods has been shown to trigger or worsen back acne.

6. Hormonal Imbalance: Some cases of back acne are an indication of a hormone imbalance.

How to prevent back acne:

The good news is, most cases of back acne can significantly improve with a handful of simple lifestyle changes and the right skin care routine to help address and minimize the triggers above

1. Wear clean clothes: If you're struggling with back acne, this is one of the first things you should be doing. Make sure you're wearing a clean shirt every day (no, just because yesterday's t-shirt on' have a stain on it doesn't make it "clean"!). Wash your shirts after every use until your back acne subsides.

2. Wash your sheets: Dirty sheets can be "silent but deadly" culprit for body acne. Throughout the night, your sheets accumulate sweat, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells from your body so it doesn't take long for them to become a breeding ground for acne-causing bacteria. Wash them (and your pillowcases) weekly in hot water if you can.

3. Use a body acne cleanser & treatment: If you have acne on your back (or anywhere else on your body or face), it's important to start an effective topical treatment as soon as possible to prevent the skin condition from worsening and prevent difficult to treat acne scars from developing. While a standard body wash picked up over-the-counter at a drugstore may be fine for some, those with acne-prone skin will require medicated cleanser and treatment cream to clear up their back acne quickly. Try using a cleanser with salicylic acid (to help unclog pores and remove excess sebum) e al peroxide a body acne treatment with benzoyl peroxide (to kill the acne bacteria) such as this body acne duo.

4. Shower immediately after sweating: If you get acne breakouts on your back or other areas of your body, it is very important to change out of sweaty workout clothes and cleanse your skin ASAP after exercise. If you cannot get to a shower right away you can use an oil-free face wipe and do a quick wipe down to tie you over.

5. Improve your ergonomics: One way to reduce back acne is to avoid long periods of time sitting with your back against a chair. You can address this by improving your posture (sitting on the edge of your seat) and/or choosing a where the back area is ventilated (think: mesh chairs) to help your skin breathe throughout the day. Better yet, if you can find a way to stand at least a portion of the day—your back and the rest of your body will thank you!

6. Check your protein source: Certain dietary supplements can actually have an adverse effect on your skin—especially whey protein. Regular, Whey protein (produced from cow's milk) has been found to make both facial and body acne worse. Try switch to plant-based, pea protein or better yet your protein from whole, natural sources such as grass-fed meat and eggs

7. Asses your hormones: If you've implemented all the tactics above and still can't get your back acne under control, it could indicate an underlying hormonal imbalance. Talk to your physician or OB/GYN who can order a hormone panel.

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