Causes
There are two causes of back acne: an increase in oil production or irritated skin. When your skin glands produce too much oil due to stress, genetics, hormonal imbalance or a poor diet, the increase in oil overproduction can clog up your skin follicles, preventing dead skin from escaping. This allows bacteria to breed and acne breakouts to occur. When clothing is warm and tight against the skin, acne may thrive because tight clothing can also trap dead skin cells. Tight clothing or a wearing a backpack may aggravate back acne by spreading the bacteria, causing fresh outbreaks.
Prevention
Wearing loose, cotton clothing may help prevent the spread of back acne. Instead of wearing a backpack, carry a handheld bag to decrease skin irritations on your back. Wash the skin on your back, regularly and immediately after exercise — but do not shower more than twice a day. Excessive bathing or showering may dry and irritate the skin on your back. To reduce the bacteria production on your skin’s surface, use an antibacterial soap daily. Exfoliate your back with a sugar-based scrub a few times a week to remove dead skin cells that may clog your follicles. Do not wear shirts more than once and keep bed sheets clean. If you sweat a lot, wipe your back with a soft towel regularly.
Treatment
Because the skin on your back is tougher and denser than the skin on your face, treatments differ depending on the severity of your back acne. If you have mild back acne and washing the skin regularly is not enough to control it, topical treatments sold in drugstores may kill bacteria, dry the oil and remove dead skin cells. If over-the-counter treatments are too weak, a doctor may prescribe a topical cream for moderate cases of acne. In severe cases, Accutane may be prescribed. This medication comes in pill form and is derived from Vitamin A. Accutane has the power to shrink oil glands, but comes with serious side effects, such as dry eyes and lips, aching joints, itching and blurred vision. If your back acne leads to scars or cysts, you may be a candidate for laser treatment or surgery, but consult your doctor before scheduling any procedures.
Considerations
If you get red marks or irritations on your back, check with your doctor to ensure you are suffering from acne and not eczema, as this requires a completely different treatment.
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