What is "bacne" (back acne)?
Pimples or acne on the back - just like on the face - happen when pores and hair follicles become clogged by trapped sebum, dead skin cells, sweat and acne-causing bacteria.
Just like any other acne, back acne happens because your sebaceous glands get a little too enthusiastic. These glands make an oily substance called sebum, which is great for keeping your skin happy and healthy.
But when there's too much sebum hanging around, it can team up with bacteria and dead skin cells, clogging up your pores and causing those pesky breakouts.
On the back, our sebaceous glands are quite large, making it common to get acne and pimples there.
Why do I get acne on my back?
First of all – it's you a plenty of others! It is estimated that around 50% of people with facial acne also have pimples on the back and/or chest.
As always with acne, there are several different factors, such as:
- GENETICS – You're more likely to develop back acne if there's a family history of acne. If you have a family history of acne and get scars from your acne. it's good to seek medical advice early to discuss possible treatments to avoid scarring.
- HORMONAL FACTORS – Hormonal changes stimulate the sebaceous glands, causing them to produce excess sebum. Back acne is very common in teenagers, both boys and girls, because of changing hormone levels, but fluctuating hormones later in life can also bring out the breakouts. Our founder Maria, for example, sported some serious bacne while pregnant and living through the hot and humid summers of her then home-town, Tokyo.
- FRICTION FROM CLOTHING – Back acne is very common in athletes and people working out a lot. When oil and sweat gets trapped under tight-fitting clothes – especially. synthetic workout attire – your pores can clog up, leading to breakouts.
- HOT CLIMATE – Bacne is a common side-effect of summer heat, when sweat and oils accumulate.
- HAIR PRODUCTS – If you're wearing your long hair loose and using plenty of styling products, residue oils or waxes from the products can help to clog up pores in acne-prone skin.
- PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS – Food is never the underlying cause of acne, but some foods can indirectly affect acne. There seems to be a connection between whey protein and acne, so if you're prone to bacne you might want to try switching to a vegan alternative. Dairy (especially low-fat milk) and high-glycemic, sugary foods are also linked to acne.
Everyone is affected differently by the various factors, so it is important to notice when your skin reacts and how you can best help it.
How to I get rid of back acne?
The million dollar question!
Here's some of our tried and tested hacks for beating bacne in its tracks!
1. WASH YOUR BACK
Don't forget your back when showering. If you're washing your hair, always use body cleanser after you've rinsed out your conditioner to make sure that oils don't stay on your skin. Always shower immediately after exercise.
2. MIST WITH HYPOCHLOROUS ACID
Hypochlorous acid is not only brilliant to tackle acne bacteria on your face– it works just as well on the body, thanks to its antibacterial and inflammatory effects. Mist frequently after showering and during/straight after workouts to prevent breakouts and soothe angry skin.
Hypochlorous acid for back acne: CLOUD MIST
3. USE SALICYLIC ACID
There are times when we wish we had a third arm on our back – like when it comes to reaching our backs with Cloud Water. Our 2% salicylic acid toner works just as well on bacne as pimples on the face. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so it breaks through sebum trapped in the pores to dissolves plugs of keratin, excess oil, sweat and dead skincells.
As skin is not as sensitive on the back as on the face, you can use Cloud Water daily on your back to clear up skin.
Salicylic acid for back acne: CLOUD WATER
4. USE AN XL PIMPLE PATCH
To avoid scratching your back breakouts and help them go away quicker, pop on our large pimple patch Moon Patch. Like Cloud Patch, it's made from hydrocolloid to suck out all that pesky gunk. There is nothing more satisfying than removing a well-filled mega pimple patch - trust us ;)
XL pimple patch for back acne: MOON PATCH
5. WEAR LOOSER CLOTHING
To avoid friction from tight clothing, try looser fitting clothes in breathable fabrics, like cotton. There are also fancy workout wear on the market that absorbs sweat.
6. WASH YOUR SHEETS
Do you sleep with a bare upper body? Then there's a good chance of plenty of potentially clogging stuff hiding in your sheets. Make sure to wash your sheets once a week, and change sleep wear every over day.
Are back acne more common in men?
Back acne is very common in teenage boys and young men, for several reasons. Testosterone stimulates sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, the oily substance that can clog pores and lead to acne.
Men also tend to have thicker skin and more active oil glands, especially on the back. Plus, lifestyle factors like exercise, sweating, and wearing tight workout clothing can make back acne even more common for men.
