How to Get Rid of Bacne

Bacne, a combination of "back" and "acne," is almost as common as it is annoying. Pre-pubescent teens and adults alike who suffer from bacne understand that it's a whole different can of worms to deal with than pimples that show up on your face. Still, because bacne is caused by overactive sebaceous glands on the back, it shares some treatment similarities with other forms of acne vulgaris.

Steps

Naturally Getting Rid of Bacne

1. Exfoliate by using an abrasive sponge or a loofah. However, don't scrub too hard, or you'll increase irritation.
   
2. Go to the beach. Have your back submerged within the salt water of the beach for about 10 minutes. Sit in the sun for 10-15 minutes. The sun will dry out the pimples. Do not do this for longer though because if you get burnt, it will make your acne a lot worse. Repeat this process a few times more and you will notice results within the first two days.
   
3. Try out zinc. Not a common household cure for acne, but certainly effective in some cases, zinc is a known enemy of acne.^[1][2] Zinc is a metal that humans need in small doses to perform essential functions. In addition to treating acne, it is used to boost the human immune system. Zinc can be used to treat bacne in two different ways:
   
   • Apply zinc directly to skin. Try finding a lotion with 1.2% zinc acetate and erythromycin 4% and rub it into the skin twice daily. If you can't find this, puncture a zinc gel tablet, squeeze some of the gel onto your clean finger or a Q-tip, and apply directly to your back.
   • Ingest zinc as a part of your daily vitamin regimen. Try taking zinc picolinate daily, about 25 to 45 mg. Do not take more than 50 mg daily, as this could put you at risk of copper deficiency, as larger doses of zinc interfere with copper absorption.^[3]
4. Make a natural exfoliating scrub. This will help remove dead skin cells that can clog pores and cause breakouts. Squeeze one grapefruit into a bowl with 1 1/2 cups of white sugar and 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt. Massage into the affected areas, then pat dry.
   
5. Change your skin's pH. pH is another word for the alkalinity of your skin. Scientists have determined that a skin pH of below 5 — the ideal being 4.7 — is beneficial to overall skin health and bacterial flora that help the skin.^[4] Showering and using soap, in particular, can cause the skin's pH to go above 5, leading to dryness, scaliness, and breakouts.
   
   • Consider changing your shower head. Invest in a shower head that filters out the chlorine in your water. Your skin will thank you for it. Very decent shower head pre-equipped with filters only cost $25 to $50 and can have a profound impact on your skin.
   • Prepare a mix of one part apple cider vinegar and one part filtered drinking water in a spray bottle. After showering and before bed, spray the vinegar solution on your skin and let dry. This process will naturally lower your skin's pH.^[5]
   • Instead of apple cider vinegar, use equal parts witch hazel and filtered water for the same effect.

Using Medicated Solutions

1. Wash your whole body with an oil-free, medicated body wash. You want one with an active ingredient of 2% salicylic acid. Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash is a particularly good product with this. Concentrate on the areas with pimples and wait a minute or so before rinsing to get rid of all the oil. Let the medicine sink in and do its work.
   
2. Moisturize with an oil-free, medicated lotion. Your skin is an organ in your body. Not figuratively, but literally. And like other organs in your body, it needs water and other nutrients in order to look and feel its best. Use lotion on your back whenever you've washed it (daily).
   
   • Alternatively, use a non-medicated lotion, but be sure that it is guaranteed to be non-comedogenic. This is necessary because salicylic acid dries out your skin.
3. Spot treat with acne medication cream. Since you are already using salicylic acid to wash and moisturize, use a different medicine for spot treatment, such as 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. Do not use 5% or 10% benzoyl peroxide if you have extremely sensitive skin because this will increase irritation. If you're sensitive to benzoyl peroxide, a 10% sulfur solution may work for you instead.
   
4. Apply retinol cream. Put a retinol cream on your back at night. This exfoliates your skin and prevents breakouts in tough places.
   
5. Use AHAs and BHAs. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are essentially exfoliants, sloughing off dead skin that tends to clog pores and cause acne. Beta Hydroxy Acids fight the acne bacteria from the inside out. If you can, try to find a body scrub with AHAs and wash with that scrub three times per week. After showering and moisturizing, wipe your back with BHA-medicated pads.^[6]
   
6. See a dermatologist. It's entirely possible that this is a condition which requires prescription acne pills or topical creams. Don't be afraid to see a dermatologist to make sure.
   

Making Changes to Your Lifestyle

1. Wear a clean bra. If you wear a bra it is extremely important it should be clean. Try to wear a fresh one each day. Your straps should be tight enough so as they do not rub against the acne when you move, which irritates it. If possible, wear a strapless bra as this reduces redness on your shoulder blades amazingly fast.
   
2. Wear loose clothes. Ensure any material touching your back is clean and, if possible, made of cotton. Cotton removes sweat from your skin.
   
3. Remember to shower after sweating. After going for a run or basketball practice, remember to hit the showers. Sweat that's not washed off your skin after exercise effectively creates a summer playground for bacteria that cause acne. Additionally, this sweat can also clog pores, causing acne to rear its ugly little head.
   
4. When you do shower, be sure to rinse conditioner out of your hair. One potential cause of bacne is conditioner that hasn't been properly washed from hair. Conditioner is great for your hair, but not so great for your back. There are several ways that you can help keep conditioner from invading your back and causing nasty little zits:
   
   • Turn the water temperature down before you rinse conditioner out of your hair. Warm water will open up pores, while cool water will close them. Having open pores right when your conditioner is slurrying down your hair isn't a good recipe for a pimple-free back.
   • Wash your back last, after you've shampooed and conditioned.
   • Instead of conditioning your hair in the shower, condition it after you get out with a leave-in conditioner.
5. Change your laundry detergent. If you have sensitive skin, the laundry detergent you use may irritate your skin. Try switching to a brand that will be easier on your skin.
   
6. Wash your sheets regularly. Dead skin cells and dust collect quickly on sheets. Pets that sleep on the bed will also be tracking in dirt. Remove the sheets and wash them twice weekly.
   

Video

Tips

• Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Hydrating properly will ensure that your body will not need to release as much oil and bacteria in the form of bacne.
• Thoroughly clean a loofah after use because they can easily harbor germs and bacteria.
• Try to avoid eating too much junk food as it may be one factor which could cause acne on your back to occur. Furthermore, scratching your back could cause acne to spread so this should be avoided too.
• There are generic versions of body wash for acne available. Just look for this active ingredient: 2% salicylic acid.
• Don't irritate the pimple as it will make it red and sometimes you can get a scar.
• Avoid junk food not just for your back but everywhere it will not help eating a lot of junk for any bacne but your face and other body parts as well!
• If you are sensitive to salicylic acid or find commercial products ineffective for your back acne (bacne), try a medicated skin powder. This will usually work well and won't over-dry your skin. Speak to your pharmacist about brand options.
• For men, avoid removing your shirt then making contact with dirty things such as a wall or on the ground.
• Other solutions to try on bacne:
  • Tea tree soap
  • Dandruff shampoo with zinc
  • Tea tree oil is an all natural topical treatment that can be applied instead of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
  • Medicating your skin with lemons (slice and rub onto skin) or tomatoes will greatly help, because the acid in them will help to kill harmful bacteria. This is especially good if you have sensitive skin and the chemical treatments will do more harm than good.

Warnings

• Do not pick or pop the pimples. This only increases the chance of infection. Treat any popped pimples with 3% hydrogen peroxide or 10% benzoyl peroxide to reduce the chance of infection.
• If you are taking Accutane, do not use Neutrogena or benzoyl peroxide. Accutane works by killing oil glands under the skin, thereby removing the critical producer of oil.

Related wikiHows

• How to Get Rid of Acne
• How to Care for Combination Skin
• How to Get Baby Soft Skin
• How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Acne

Sources and Citations

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