How to Get Rid of Bacne | Prevent Back Acne and Reduce Acne Scars

Bacne.

A short, ugly word that describes acne on your back.

Bacne affects men more than women. However, whether you are a man or a woman with back acne, it is embarrassing and inconvenient to deal with.

I had severe back acne when I was younger. And now I have the back acne scars to prove it.

If I had known then what causes bacne and how to get rid of bacne scars, my back would be in much better shape.

Now I know more about skin care and bacne remedies. I hope this article about how to get rid of bacne will help some of you guys out there that are dealing with this.

What causes back acne?

Sebum is necessary to waterproof and lubricate the skin. Too much sebum and the pores get blocked. If bacteria gets mixed up in this, then you end up with acne, usually whiteheads filled with pus. You can also get blackheads on your back or cysts from this build up of sebum and bacteria.

Here’s why men are prone to getting back acne.

Our backs have larger pores than our faces and other body parts do. Which means the skin on our back produces a lot of sebum. Which then in turns means that they can get clogged very easily and lead to bacne.

How to prevent bacne

Preventing back acne is much better than trying to get rid of it after it happens. Luckily there are many effective treatments for bacne, but it is my philosophy that prevention is the best medicine.

Keep your back clean

It should go without saying that you should be keeping your skin clean. Since it is hard to reach your back it tends to get neglected.

If you can’t have somebody in the shower to scrub your back, the next best thing is to use a back sponge with a handle. Loofahs tend to irritate your back so I don’t recommend those.

Using a good body wash will help you prevent back acne. Ironically, some body washes will actually increase your chances of getting bacne! If your body wash or soap contains sodium lauryl sulphate or SLS, there is a good chance it will cause a breakout of bacne as it tends to mess with your sebum production.

Shower after you workout

You’re in a rush to get back to work or you figure you will just wait until you get home to shower after you workout.

Bad move.

After working out, your pores are wide open and filling with more sebum than normal. If you wait to shower after your workout, you are increasing the chances of the sebum mixing with bacteria and causing bacne.

On the same note, you should make sure you aren’t wearing a dirty sweaty short after your workout. Shower as soon as you are finished and put on a clean dry shirt.

Wear clean and loose fitting shirts

Wearing tight shirts prevents your skin from breathing. This causes even more clogging of your pores and can cause pimples.

Tight shirts can also cause you to heat up and produce even more sebum. You may not get sweaty

from the tight shirt, but your skin temperature will get raised and your pores will get clogged.

It should go without saying that you should put an already worn shirt in the laundry bin.

It’s tempting to give a quick sniff of the armpits and think you can get another day out of your favorite shirt. But, don’t do it!

Your shirt has dead skin cells and bacteria on it from being worn. If you put it back on after a shower, you’re putting all those impurities back onto your skin where it can be reabsorbed and cause a back pimple outbreak.

Wear clean and loose fitting shirts

Wearing tight shirts prevents your skin from breathing. This causes even more clogging of your pores and can cause pimples.

Tight shirts can also cause you to heat up and produce even more sebum. You may not get sweaty from the tight shirt, but your skin temperature will get raised and your pores will get clogged.

It should go without saying that you should put an already worn shirt in the laundry bin.

It’s tempting to give a quick sniff of the armpits and think you can get another day out of your favorite shirt. But, don’t do it!

Your shirt has dead skin cells and bacteria on it from being worn. If you put it back on after a shower, you’re putting all those impurities back onto your skin where it can be reabsorbed and cause a back pimple outbreak.

Don’t get too much sun

You have probably been told that to prevent acne you should get out in the sun or go tanning. That’s probably the worst advice you can get as too much sun will actually cause back acne.

The sun will not dry out your skin. It will heat it up and get your sebaceous glands producing sebum like crazy. Your pores will open up and if they get clogged, you’re going to have acne.

Now, if you are at the beach, the salt water will dry out your skin and is very good at balancing your sebum production without drying your skin out. So, if you are out in the sun, make sure you are also going for a swim to dry out that excess sebum that the sun has caused.

Ok, so that helps you prevent acne from occurring. What about how to get rid of back acne once you already have it?

How to get rid of back acne

If you already have bad bacne with pimples that won’t go away, there are a number of options for you.

There are many different kinds of treatments, but I will only focus on home acne treatments that don’t require a prescription or visit to the dermatologist. Of course, if any of these treatments leave you with pimples that won’t go away or your acne seems to get worse, then you definitely should get checked by a doctor.

Over the counter acne treatments

Benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria that causes pimples and removes excess oil from your skin.

The side effects from benzoyl peroxide can also dry out your skin and cause irritation. If you have sensitive skin you should avoid this.

You should only use benzoyl peroxide for spot treatment of acne. In other words if you have one big pimple, then go ahead and blast it. But, don’t use this for pimples all over your back.

The best otc acne treatment that has benzoyl peroxide is Dermalogica Special Clearing Booster. It’s a spot treatment and will get to the bottom of what is causing that back pimple.

Use it until the pimple is gone. If you stop and the pimple is still there it won’t go away.

Salicylic acid

If you have more than a couple of pimple, but it is still a mild case then try some salicylic acid products. When I say mild, I mean you don’t have large, painful pustules, but instead, small, red sweat bumps.

Salicylic acid products will unclog pores and balance out your sebum. Since it is mild, you can use a cleanser or body wash to treat your back acne. 

If you need to use a gel cleanser, then I recommend a natural acne cleanser by Perfect Image. If you don’t have somebody to get it onto the acne on your back, then you will need a back lotion applicator.

Topical retinol gel

Retinol gel used to be a prescription only acne remedy until recently. Retinol is used mainly in anti aging treatments for the face.

Differen Gel is used specifically for acne treatment and is strong enough to get rid of back acne.

It is topical and needs to be spread all over the affected area of the back. Once again, you will need a back lotion applicator to get this onto your back without any help.

Be patient. It can take up to 8 weeks before you see real results and for your back acne to be eliminated.

Body washes for back acne

A good acne body wash will exfoliate to unclog pores and rid your skin of dead cells. It should also help repair the damage done by the exfoliating and use of harsh chemicals.

Back Acne Body Washes for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin you definitely need a body wash that is free from harsh chemicals. A body wash that uses glycolic, or alpha hydroxy acid, will be more gentle that one with benzoyl peroxide. If you have sensitive skin then try Murad Acne Body Wash. Mild back acne will be no match for a good exfoliating acne body wash.

Back Acne Body Wash For Severe Bacne

If you have severe back acne then you will need to bring out the big guns. A body wash with benzoyl peroxide is needed. It can be quite harsh on your skin, however. If you have sensitive skin then try something more mild first and see if it works. If not then go with something strong like PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash.

It has the highest amount of benzoyl peroxide allowed without a prescription.

All Natural Body Wash for Body Acne

If you have been reading my blog then you know I love to promote all natural grooming products.

When you need to get rid of back acne you don’t necessarily need to go straight to the harsh chemicals. You may be able to get rid of it by using a natural formula. Alba Botanica AcneDote is a great all natural body wash that will help get rid of your body acne. It is a salicylic acid body wash that uses botanical ingredients.

Oral medications for acne

Many pills that contain zinc are effective at treating the redness and bumps from acne. Unless you get an antibiotic from your dermatologist, a pill may not work for you in eliminating your acne altogether. Even an antibiotic may not get rid of your acne as well as benzoyl peroxide or other topical treatments.

If your bacne is mild, then try some acne pills that contain zinc in combination with other ingredients and see what happens. When used in conjunction with some of the other treatments I already mentioned, then you may just get rid of some stubborn back acne without needing a doctor.

ClearZine makes pills with zinc and biotin to fight acne. Biotin is great at keeping skin healthy. It might not help to get rid of your acne, but in conjunction with the zinc, it will repair your skin from the effects of acne and irritation.

Home remedies for back acne

Oatmeal

Oatmeal contains terpinen-4-ol, an anti-microbial ingredient, the same thing found in tea tree oil. This anti-microbial will help to kill the bacteria that causes pimples on your face and back.

There are two ways to use oatmeal as an acne treatment.

You can use oatmeal powder in your bath. Take 3-4 tablespoons of fine oatmeal powder and add it to some warm water in your bath. Soak in the bath for 20-25 minutes. Do this everyday and in about a week you should be seeing some results.

An oatmeal and honey mask is also effective. Mix together 3 tablespoons of fine oatmeal powder and 4 tablespoons of honey. You will need some help here since it will be messy and probably not very effective if you try to do this part yourself. Have somebody spread the paste onto your back and let it sit there for 20 minutes. Then just rinse it off in the shower. Do this once a day until you start to see some results.

Epsom Salt

Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, flushes out toxins and reduces inflammation, redness, and itchiness. To use epsom salts you need to use them in a bath.

Fill your tub with warm water and add a cup of epsom salt. Don’t put anything else in the water. Soaps and detergents could react with the salts.

Soak in the salts for 20-30 minutes. After the bath make sure you drink plenty of water as it can dehydrate you.

If after a week of daily epsom salt baths, you should at least see a reduction of your bacne.

Baking Soda

Your grandmother has probably been trying to tell you that you should be using baking soda to get rid of acne. You may want to listen to her!

Make a paste with baking soda and water. Add a little water at a time until the consistency is smooth and can be spread on your back without running.

Apply it all over your back and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse it off in the shower. Do this once a day and the soda should dry out your excess oil and tighten up your pores.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory. Like oatmeal, it has Terpinen-4-ol to kill the bacteria that causes pimples.

Mix 2-3 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of water. Use a cotton ball or a back lotion applicator to rub the solution into your skin. You’ll need to do this 2-3 times a day to see an effect.

This is only good if you have the occasional breakout as it won’t cure bacne. Make sure you test it first before using it to make sure you are sensitive to it. Do a patch test by putting a bit on your forearm and under a bandaid. The next day if it is red or itchy then you shouldn’t be using the tea tree oil.

Body sprays for back acne

A bacne spray that contains alpha hydroxy acid can be a very effective way to get rid of body acne like pimples or blackheads on your shoulders or back. What it does is remove dead skin cells and reduce inflammation. It will help reduce the discomfort associated with back pimples.

It can also stimulate the growth of new skin cells. While it helps get rid of acne it can also reduce the occurrence of bacne scars.

A good spray that can help eliminate your back acne, blackheads on your back and back cysts is ZENMED AHA BHA Complex Toner. It has a type of alpha hydroxy acid called glycolic acid in addition to salicylic acid to cure your bacne.

Just have somebody spray it on your back after you have already taken a shower. Do this twice a day and you will see results.

How to Get Rid of Back Acne Scars

Know that when you have back acne, it will go away one day. As you get over 30 years old you will find it slowly goes away. I am 45 and, though I had severe bacne, it went away around 10 years ago.

What remains, however, are the scars. I have terrible scarring on my back from not treating my acne properly.

The best thing you can do to prevent back acne is to not pop your zits. If you treat them with any of the remedies I laid out in this article then you won’t have many scars. If any at all. Though, sometimes they pop on their own because you sit against the back of a chair.

If you do find yourself with scars, you can minimize them. Of course, it should be noted that you can’t really make them disappear. You can only reduce or hide them.

Use cortisone to reduce acne scars

A cortisone cream is the best way to begin to get rid of acne scars. If the scars are new, then the cortisone will reduce the inflammation and keep the scar tissue from forming.

If you already have the scarring then it helps to use cortisone to plump up the skin and make the scar less noticeable. Make sure it is a non comedogenic formula. That means it won’t clog pores. If it clogs the pores, you will see your acne come roaring back.

ScarGuard is a liquid that is great at reducing old scarring from acne. It is a liquid that you brush onto your scars. It will flatten them out making them less noticeable.

Try a Retinoid cream or chemical peel

A retinoid is great at preventing acne and it can also be used to help reduce the scarring caused by acne.

A retinoid cream that uses alpha hydroxy acids will remove quite a bit of the top layer of your skin, so it helps to flatten your scars. It’s also known as a chemical peel that will reduce acne scars. It can be quite harsh on the skin, so if your skin is sensitive then you may just want to try a retinoid cream. Try SkinDefine for a professional quality skin peel to get rid of scars.

A gentle cream to reduce the inflammation of new scars from back acne might be better for you if your skin is sensitive. Skinthera makes a retinol cream that is meant for the face but can also be used for bacne scars.

Natural bacne scar removal

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is kind of the wonder drug of the natural world in terms of skin care. It soothes irritations and plumps up your skin leaving it healthy. It can also regenerate damaged tissue like scars from acne.

Getting aloe direct from the plant is the most ideal way, but, not everybody has a plant they can cut the leaves from. For most you can buy a pure aloe vera gel. The gel is actually easier to use than straight aloe vera, too. It dries quickly and does not need to be washed off.

Sugar scrub

A sugar scrub can do two things to remove your back acne scars fast. It rubs away layers of dead skin and flattens your scars. It also lightens your skin so your scars don’t stand out as much.

It’s easy to make and with some patience it will reduce your back acne scars easily.

Just mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Then rub your scars vigorously with the sugar paste. Leave it there for 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water and a mild soap. Do this four times a week for a couple of weeks.

There are many more natural remedies to be found online with a quick Google search. These are the only ones that seem to work in my opinion. The others are more or less trying to treat the acne and prevent the scars. Which is a great approach, but this part of the article is more about how to lessen the scars from acne. 

Read More! Here's a great guide on natural hair products for men!

Final Thoughts on How to Get Rid of Back Acne

I wish the internet were a thing when I was a teenager so I could have found a resource to help me with my bacne problem!

Luckily for you, there is the internet and a guide to the best products to get rid of back acne. Since I suffered myself, I can relate and really want to help in any way that I can.

I do want to stress, though, that the actions to take listed in this how to get rid of back acne guide is probably just the first step for many of you.

Try out the different ideas laid out for you here and see what happens. For some of you, these steps simply won’t work depending on how bad your condition is. Don’t give up if this guide doesn’t help you. Get to a dermatologist and they will put you on the right path to eradicate your back acne for good.

After you’ve tried some of these ideas, come back here and let everybody know what worked and what didn’t. You may just be helping somebody else out to find something that will work for them.

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