“Bacne”

I don’t know about you but I had many friends growing up who suffered from back acne and seeing as my mom was a dermatologist would always ask me how I avoid it or how to get rid of it and I never really knew the answer, I just knew I was lucky that I didn’t have it! After sitting down with Dr. Norris I learned that some people are more prone to “bacne” than others and specifically there are two groups, people who sweat a lot such as athletes and then those with a genetic predisposition for acne. Meaning this condition has a hereditary property, so don’t forget to thank your parents next time you see them if you have breakouts on your back! But don’t start to worry yet because there is still hope as there are some ways to minimize breakouts on your back.

3 Tips for Minimizing Bacne

• Taking shower as soon after exercises or physical activity can help prevent breakouts 

• Try to get out of your sweaty clothes as soon as possible after exercise. A lot of times people go to a work out class or on a run then head to meet up with friends, but staying in your sweaty clothes can impact your skins health and cause breakouts. If you don’t have time to shower, at least change!

• Using benzoyl peroxide to treat this condition but you want to be very careful when using benzoyl peroxide as it can bleach your clothes and towels. Dr. Norris suggests putting it on directly after bathing and letting it dry completely before putting on your pajamas or climbing into bed!

• Finally, it is sometimes helpful to wash your back once a week with a medicated shampoo such as Selsun blue shampoo. 

While some of these preventative measures can help minimize breakouts typically a dermatologist should see this condition, as a common treatment is an oral antibiotic along with a good skincare routine. Acne on the back does not tend to respond as readily to topical treatments as the inflammation is deeper in the hair follicle on the back than say acne is on the face.
Amanda Blakley Skincare – BLOG