Pimples don’t discriminate. They not only pop up on your face, but also on your stomach, upper arm and back. The latter is also called ‘bacne’ in English: back + acne. It occurs for various reasons, including after puberty. How do you get back acne and how do you get rid of it?
What is acne and how does it arise?
Acne is a collective name for various skin conditions, including pimples. It actually has nothing to do with how bad or good your skin condition is, but rather with your hormones and genes. Acne is an inflammation of the sebaceous glands in your skin, causing many pimples to form in one area. In addition, every skin type is different, so acne differs in every person. For example, one person might get acne on the face, while another might get acne on the back or even the upper arms.
This depends on your hormonal and genetic situation. Because you are flooded with hormones during puberty, most people suffer from this a lot during that period. As many as 30% of women suffer from acne on the back, of which about 15% still suffer from it after years. For many, it disappears after the age of 25, but unfortunately this does not happen to everyone: 5% of women still suffer from this after the age of 40.
How does acne occur on the back?
The pimples are caused by inflamed sebaceous glands. Sebum keeps the skin supple and ensures that it does not dry out. When you go through puberty, everything changes in your body. Not only your body and your hormones, but also your sebaceous glands. These glands start to grow and produce more sebum that your body actually needs. This clogs the pores, gives acne the opportunity to develop and causes pimples. Because your pores (those small ‘holes’ in your skin where sweat and sebum come out) become clogged, a kind of plug is created in the drainage canal. That plug keeps getting bigger and develops into a comedo (blackhead), and then into a pimple. If you think that acne is developing on your back, it is useful to make sure that you do not confuse back acne with folliculitis: an inflamed hair follicle.
How do you get rid of back acne?
It is important to know that back acne needs to be treated differently than acne on your face. The skin on your back is thicker than that on your face, so a facial treatment for acne or peels will certainly not get rid of the acne. Therefore, tackle the pimples on your back by treating them from the inside, for example with isotretinoin pills. In addition, do not use greasy creams, but use a fine scrub instead. And don’t scrub more than once or twice a week.
How do you prevent back acne?
If you feel that you are starting to suffer from pimples on your back, it is important to first look at factors around you that are causing you stress. Are you in a busy period at work? Do you have an important deadline? Are things not going so well financially? It could be anything, but back acne is often caused by (too much) stress. The hormone cortisol that is released influences sebum production. It is therefore very important to take a moment for yourself every now and then and let all that stress slide away. For example, take a yoga class or spend time on your hobby or passion.
In addition, touch the skin as little as possible, because it irritates and worsens the acne. Clean the skin thoroughly every day with some lukewarm water and pat it dry with a cloth. So don’t scrub your back with a towel or rough washcloth, because that damages the skin and breaks the pimples, making the inflammation worse. Do not squeeze the pimples, as this will cause scars and infections.
Hormones and genes cause pimples, but it also helps to change your bed linen more often. It also aggravates existing pimples by accumulating bacteria. Therefore, take off sweaty sports tops as quickly as possible. Make sure that you always rinse conditioner from your hair thoroughly, as these residues sometimes cause pimples.
Are you having trouble getting rid of that back acne? Then it never hurts to visit a beautician or a specialist who treats (back) acne.
Best products for back acne treatment
The most important thing is that you treat your acne well, with the right products… Follow the instructions for use of the products and stick with it. It takes the skin about 30 days to show the first results.
