Getting Rid of Body Acne
By Andi Allegre
Body acne can be just as - or even more - frustrating than getting acne on the face. They can appear in the weirdest, most uncomfortable areas, and are sometimes even harder to treat. What can you do to get rid of them?
The first step to getting rid of body acne is to identify what causes it. Most acne are hormonal in nature. The best example of this are the pimples that almost every teenager gets when puberty makes their testosterone levels skyrocket. Other factors may worsen acne or make them more likely to appear. Genetics will tell you if you're likely to have acne, and what type of acne you're most likely to have. Stress elevates testosterone levels, and thus can trigger breakouts or worsen existing acne. Eating a lot of fatty, high-sugar foods also have a way of making your skin more acne prone.
This does not explain, however, why acne appears on the body. The first thing you can look into are the products you use on your skin. Acne can appear when the skin becomes clogged by products like makeup, cologne or spray, even hair gel that gets mixed with sweat. Check your body products if they are non-comedogenic, which means they do not clog the pores. This ensures that you do not get acne, not at least from the different products you use on your body.
The second thing to look into are your clothes. Do you regularly change your clothes or are you one of those people who just love shirts that are literally "lived in" - for several days? The latter makes sweat and dirt stick to your skin, clog the pores and cause acne. Wearing clothes that are too tight or clingy can also make you break out. This is especially true when it is hot and the skin becomes irritated by the constant friction with fabric.
A third cause of stubborn body acne may be the fact that your body -especially your back - just doesn't get the same amount of pampering your face does. People who are conscious about their skin usually focus on visible areas like the face. Other parts of the body like the back don't get the same attention so they don't get washed, cleaned or treated as often. This makes dead skin cells and dirt build up, clog the pores, and cause acne in these areas.
The most useful thing you can do to keep body acne at bay is by paying more attention to the rest of your body - especially your back. Make sure it gets washed at least once a day, and use an exfoliating scrub so that stubborn dead skin cells and dirt get removed. You can use medicated soap if you have pimples there, and ask help from a friend of family member in applying topical treatments like ointments and creams. Other preventive measures can also help - like eating more skin-healthy food like brightly colored vegetables and fruits and cutting back on oily, greasy, sugary treats. And by taking time to relax to lower your stress (and acne) levels.
Remember - body acne is not an untreatable condition. All it takes is some perseverance, discipline, and a helpful, healthy dose of positive attitude.
Andi Allegre is a blogger, freelance writer, and skin care addict guilty of spending more than half her income on beauty and skin products. Once an acne-riddled teenager herself, she has found acne relief with the help of acne vitamins. Visit Acne-Vitamins.com to learn more about back and body acne. This article may be republished provided that the author's information and all active links are left intact.
