The Bane Of Itchy And Painful Back Acne

Back acne is often shortened to Bacne. The causes of back acne, and any other body acne, are no different to those causes of acne on your face or hairline. Over-productive oil producing glands (sebaceous glands) secrete too much oil into the pores of the skin. The oil gets trapped there, and the regular shedding of dead skin cells are added to the mix. This provides a fertile breeding ground for bacteria, which take the opportunity to multiply - fast!

Whilst the sebaceous glands can be particularly active at puberty, due to the hormonal changes taking place, anyone can actually get back acne. Many adults develop acne when they never had a problem with it as teenagers.

One thing that really differentiates acne on the body, is that it is harder to treat compared to facial acne. Skin is a lot tougher on the back. And given that skin acts as a barrier, this makes it a tougher barrier to crack with topical treatments. For this reason, bacne products are usually stronger and should not under any circumstances be applied to the face. This is especially true of women, whose facial skin is less tough than men's. But even men can suffer from irritating side effects by using body acne products on their face.

Many topical body acne products contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide works by killing the acne bacteria and reducing oil production. Salicylic acid works by breaking down the blackheads and whiteheads. Neither of these are suitable for severe acne.

Both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can be irritating anyway, so concentrations will be stronger in body lotions. Retinol, which helps exfoliate dead skin cells, is also in many acne products.

The bad news with bacne is that the cysts and pustules can be larger, and quite painful. A person suffering from back acne should take care not to wear tight clothes, or use backpacks. These can actually irritate the skin and lead to an acne breakout, in and of themselves.

Severe cases of back acne will probably need treatment by a dermatologist or doctor. They may prescribe antibiotics or other medicine. Those with less severe acne are fortunate in having a range of natural acne treatments available. These include cleansing herbs, such as milk thistle, Chinese herbs, tea tree oil, and homeopathic treatments.

Because it is awkward to apply lotions and creams to the back, oral supplements may be easier options for back acne sufferers, particularly if they live alone. Some treatment methods that advocate applying a lot of benzoyl peroxide overnight may be impractical too, as this can stain the sheets, as well as being difficult to apply properly.

By: Rebecca Prescott

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For more itchy back acne treatment options, click here. Rebecca presents information on teen and adult acne here.