How to get rid of back acne

When talking about Acne, most people stay limited to only the face. It is a very common misconception that acne only attacks the face. Acne can pop up anywhere on the body where sebaceous glands or other oil-secreting glands are present. Back acne is the condition in which acne occurs on your back, shoulders and chest. Our backs are prone to all the common acne types like whiteheads, blackheads and cysts which generally occur only on the face. The sebaceous glands on our back and shoulders secrete an oily substance called sebum which mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells to clog the back by building up in the hair follicles. This clogging traps the natural oil from the body letting the bacteria grow and result in inflammation. Acne on the back generally indicates that the acne has gone to a severe level. A doctor should be consulted for the acne and one should try to refrain from some of the causes of back acne like sweat, tight-fitting clothing, the spread of the acne from your face to your back or from getting in contact with someone infected by this.

20 Home Remedies to Treat Back Acne

Sea Salt – 

Ingredients Required: Sea Salt, water.

Procedure: 

1. Put 2-3 cups of sea salt in a bathtub with warm water.
2. Stay in the tub for half an hour before getting out.
3. Repeat this remedy 2-3 times a week.

Tea Tree Oil – 

Ingredients Required: Tea Tree Oil, Water

Procedure:

1. Mix a cup of water and 2-3 teaspoons of Tea tree oil.
2. Soak some cotton balls with the solution.
3. Lightly dab the cotton balls on the affected area.
4. Let the oil and water solution stay for about 20 minutes.
5. Wash your back with water or a damp towel.
6. Repeat this process 2-3 times a day for the best results.

White Willow Bark – 

Ingredients Required: White Willow Bark, essential oil, water.

Procedure: 

1. Boil some water in a large pot.
2. Put some white willow bark in the pot.
3. Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes and then using a fine sieve, strain the liquid. 
4. Add essential oil if you like. 
5. Dab a cotton ball in the mixture and apply it on your back. 
6. Wash your back after 15 minutes using a damp towel.
7. Repeat this process 3-4 times a week.

Cucumber – 

Ingredients Required: Cucumber, water.

Procedure:

1. Extract the juice of about a dozen cucumbers.
2. Mix the juice with lukewarm water to make a dilute solution.
3. Use this water to wash your back thoroughly.
4. Shower to wash away the pulp and cucumber residue.
5. Use this revitalizing water at least once a day.

Lavender Oil – 

Ingredients Required: Lavender oil, Epsom or sea salt, water.

Procedure:

1. In a warm water bath, put 8-10 drops of lavender oil.
2. Put some Epsom or sea salt if you want. 
3. Stay in the water and soak in it for 15-20 minutes.
4. Use this remedy 3-4 times a week. 

Epsom Salt – 

Ingredients Required: Epsom salt, water.

Procedure:

1. Put 2-3 cups of sea salt in a bathtub with warm water.
2. Stay in the tub for half an hour before getting out.
3. Repeat this remedy 2-3 times a week.

Oatmeal-Honey – 

Ingredients Required: Oatmeal, honey, water.

Procedure:

1. Cook 2-3 tablespoons of oatmeal in water.
2. Add the same amount of honey to the mixture and stir it continuously. 
3. Let the mixture cool down a bit and then apply it as a mask over your back. 
4. Wash the mask with lukewarm water after about 20 minutes.
5. Try to use this remedy every day.

Tomato Pulp – 

Ingredients Required: Tomatoes

Procedure:

1. Squash some tomatoes to take out their pulp. 
2. Apply the pulp on your back and leave it for 15 minutes. 
3. Tomato can dry up in 15 minutes so use lukewarm water to wash away the dried pulp.
4. Repeat this remedy twice a day.

Nutmeg – 

Ingredient Required: Nutmeg, cinnamon, honey.

Procedure:

1. Take a teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg powder and mix it with the same amount of honey. 
2. Using your fingers or a cotton ball, apply the solution to the acne-prone spots. 
3. Use a wet towel to clear the applied paste after 20 minutes.
4. Repeat the process 2-3 times a week.

Fenugreek Leaves – 

Ingredients Required: Fenugreek leaves, water.

Procedure:

1. Leave some fenugreek leaves to soak in water for a night. 
2. In the morning, boil the leaves along with the water and grind them to make a thick paste. 
3. Spread this paste over your back for half an hour. 
4. Shower after the procedure or wash away the paste using water.
5. Use this remedy 2-3 times a week.

Garlic – 

Ingredients Required: Garlic

Procedure:

1. Crush some cloves of garlic.
2. Apply the juice to your acne and scars and leave it for some hours. 
3. Use water infused with some lemon to wash your back and remove the smell of garlic.
4. Repeat this remedy 3-4 times a week.

Apple Cider Vinegar – 

Ingredients Required: Apple Cider Vinegar, water.

Procedure:

1. Mix some apple cider vinegar with double the amount of water in a spray bottle. 
2. Spray the mixture on your back and let it stay on the skin for at least 20 minutes.
3. Wash out the sprayed liquid with water.
4. Repeat this process 2-3 times a week.

Mint Leaves – 

Ingredients Required: Mint leaves.

Procedure: 

1. Crush some mint leaves in a mortar and pestle to make a thick paste.
2. Apply the extracted green paste on your back.
3. Take in the cooling effect of mint leaves for 15 minutes.
4. Wash the applied paste with lukewarm water.
5. Use this remedy 2-3 times a week.

Baking Soda – 

Ingredients Required: Baking soda, water

Procedure:

1. Mix some baking soda and water to make a thick paste.
2. Apply this paste to your acne and let it stay for 10 minutes. 
3. Wash off with lukewarm water or take a shower.
4. Use this process every day.

Aloe Vera – 

Ingredients Required: Aloe Leaf.

Procedure:

1. Cut a piece of aloe leaf and apply the gel to your back. 
2. The antifungal, astringent, emollient and overall healing properties of aloe provide instant relief. 
3. Rinse the area with some water after 30 minutes of application.
4. Use this remedy 2-3 times a week.

Clove Oil – 

Ingredients Required: Clove oil, a carrier oil like olive oil or almond oil.

Procedure:

1. Mix a teaspoon of clove oil with 10 teaspoons of carrier oil like olive oil or almond oil 
2. Soak a cotton swab in the mixture for a little bit. 
3. Try to apply on the affected area as precisely as possible, avoiding normal skin. 
4. Use a cotton swab dipped in water to wash the clove oil.
5. Use this step once a week.

Turmeric – 

Ingredients Required: Turmeric, milk cream.

Procedure:

1. Add some turmeric powder and milk cream to make a thick paste. 
2. Apply it on the acne and let it dry. 
3. You can easily remove the dried part with your hands. Use water for anything that remains.
4. Use this remedy 2 times a week.

Orange Peels – 

Ingredients Required: Dried orange peels, glycerine or water.

Procedure:

1. Grind some dried orange peels to obtain a fine mixture. 
2. Mix some glycerine or water in the powder and apply it on your back for 15 minutes. 
3. Wash down the paste with lukewarm water.
4. Repeat this process 3-4 times a week.

Honey – 

Ingredients Required: Honey.

Procedure:

1. Apply some raw honey over the affected area and let it dry. 
2. Use a damp towel to wash away the dried honey.
3. Use this remedy two times a day.

Toothpaste – 

Ingredients Required: Toothpaste.

Procedure:

1. Just apply some toothpaste to the acne and zits on your back and go to sleep. 
2. Clear the area with water after you wake up in the morning.
3. You can repeat this procedure every day until results are obtained.

Precautions to prevent Back Acne

• Sweat is one of the main causes of acne. Always try to shower immediately after doing some strenuous work that caused you to sweat. At least don’t let the sweat stay on your body for long as it can easily mix up with dirt and bacteria to clog up your pores.
• Some of the reasons for back acne are very basic and can easily get neglected. Things like shampooing the hair after washing, exfoliating the skin after coming from dirt, and keeping a dandruff-free head might seem petty but are very important in preventing the growth and spread of acne.
• A balanced diet is not only important for your health, it is very essential to stop breakouts of zits and acne all over the body. Maintaining a low sugar and fat diet helps the skin to stay healthy and keeps a check on the sebum secretion.
• Stop using scented products. Plain and simple. The fragrance of the soap has little to no significance on the total appearance of a person and further causes irritation and increased dryness on the skin surface causing inflammation. The same goes for the scented laundry products like detergents. Use the products which are suitable for your skin type.
• Sleeping is also very important for the body mechanism. It allows the body to regain some of the lost energy and work towards its rejuvenation. Try to maintain a proper sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible.

Myths and Facts of Back Acne

Myths	Facts
Stress causes Acne	Although stress can lead to hormonal changes resulting in excess sebum secretion, it is seldom the cause for acne.
Sunlight helps in clearing Acne	Sunbathing for more than 10 minutes damages your skin and increases irritation. This results in more acne.
Pop the Pimples to heal them	Popping the pimple makes it go away but leaves a scar behind which can increase as time progresses. It furthers opens up the skin for more new bacteria.

OTC Products for Back Acne

• African Black Soap

Made up of one hundred per cent natural ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil and palm oil, this soap has proven to be one of the best products for reducing acne. Apart from acne, this soap is known to treat other skin conditions also as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee also.

• Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash

Neutrogena is at the forefront of facial cleansing products with its huge line of face washes but not a lot of people know that Neutrogena makes products for the whole body. This clear body wash is very effective against acne on the back, chest and buttocks and leaves clear skin behind after getting rid of the pimples. This body wash also has a very pleasant earthy smell and comes in other flavours also.

• Pelican For Back Medicated Soap

This is a unique soap developed in Japan. It is unique because of its appearance. It looks totally black because of an ingredient – coal mud. The coal mud helps in retaining the moisture of the skin and cleaning the pores completely. It even wipes the dead skin cell build-up and excess oils.

• Coconut Milk Body Scrub by Essentially KateS

This is an all-natural body scrub having ingredients like sea salt, essential oils, vitamin E and coconut milk. Apart from getting rid of the acne, this body scrub gives you baby-smooth skin and also helps to fight against other skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

• ExfoliMATE Magic Shower Cloth

When people think about the treatment of acne, they generally think about creams or soaps which can be applied on the affected area to reduce the pimple, not an exfoliating cloth. This ExfoliMATE cloth is perfect to reach the hard-to-reach places and opening the pores of the skin. It doesn’t cause flare-ups or rashes and dries up very quickly also.

FAQs 

• How is back acne caused?

The same factors which cause acne and pimples on the face are responsible for acne on your back or any other body part.

• Is eating related to acne?

The primary reason for acne is a change in hormone levels which trigger the sebum release, blocking the pores and ultimately causing pimples. Eating doesn’t lead to a change in hormones and is in no way responsible for the occurrence of acne. Though, it is advised to stay away from some food products like milk, cheese and yoghurt when you are suffering from acne.

• Why teenagers are affected the most by acne?

Teenagers are more affected by acne because they undergo a lot of hormonal changes during their teen and puberty years. These sudden fluctuations can cause acne and zits to breakout out of nowhere. But only teenagers are not confined to pimples, adults suffer the same amount from it they just don’t have that many hormonal changes.

• When to consult a doctor and will the acne ever go away?

Most of the OTC products are proficient enough to cure the pimples on their own in about 4 to 12 weeks but if the pimples still prevail then a doctor or a dermatologist should be consulted. A professional would be able to treat the pimple without leaving a scar behind. Acne goes away after some time on its own. It is rarely the case when pimples stay for long even after using treatment.