Bacne—also known as body acne—is the bane of pretty much everyone’s existence. Having acne on your face is one thing, but no one has the time to pop concealer (or, heaven forbid, foundation) on their body every day!
The good news is—if you’re experiencing bacne, you’re not alone. The bad news is that you’re experiencing bacne, but you already knew that, eh? Unfortunately, no matter how positive you try to be, body acne is categorically a difficult condition to deal with.
Maybe you’re not wearing that strappy summer dress in fear that your spots will show through. Or, maybe it’s difficult to sit down because of that whopping zit right on your sit bones. Whatever your skin dilemma is, there’s probably a way to fix it. The best way to treat acne is typically to address the causes directly, which is what we’re doing today.
Ahead are a few possible causes for your bacne and how to solve it:
You’re not showering enough
We’re not here to judge—and this certainly isn’t the only cause of bacne. It’s true that plenty of people experience acne despite having impeccable personal hygiene; however, if you’re breaking out and you’re only showering every other day, that’s probably why.
You’re not showering correctly
Yes, indeed—there is a right and wrong way to shower! A lot of people develop body acne as a result of product buildup. Think of it this way—your conditioner (or your hair mask) is super moisturising and nourishing for your hair, but it’s also mega-comedogenic.
If you’re cleansing your body thoroughly but leaving the conditioner last, the conditioner residue will coat your body as soon as you rinse your hair out. The result? Breakouts galore. What you can do is soap up your body last and make sure you’re rinsing thoroughly.
You need to get a better body wash
On the note of products, are you using an acne-prone body wash? If not, give it a shot and see what happens. Keep an eye out for body washes that contain salicylic acid, tea tree oil or other acne-fighting active ingredients. Here are some of our personal favourites.
Try: Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap
This cleanser harnesses the power of AHAs to unclog pores and glycerin to hydrate the skin.
Try: The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Body Wash
This soap smells as good as it works—the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory tea-tree oil cleanses and detoxifies the skin.
You’re not exfoliating enough
Your skin’s cell turnover rate may be doing you dirty. If you find that your dead skin cells are building up faster than they’re being shed, you may want to reach for the exfoliant once a week.
When dead skin cells build up, they can clog the pores in your body, causing acne. An exfoliant is a surefire way out of this pickle.
Try: Aesop Redemption Body Scrub
The fine pumice ensures that your body gets the exfoliation it needs without drying out your skin too much. Plus, it smells delightful.
Your body lotion is bad for you
This one is important for the same reason that your conditioners are—if you’re slathering yourself in comedogenic body lotions on a daily basis, your skin may end up super soft, but it’s also bound to develop a hefty helping of acne too.
Most people with acne-prone skin are generally aware of the perils of comedogenic products, but they somehow assume the concern can stop from the neck down. Our answer: Quit that! Your body needs the same TLC that your face gets, so it’s time to purge the cloggers and invest in some proper body care.
Try: Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion
With this lotion, you don’t have to compromise on the hydration—it’s free from mineral oils and other comedogenic ingredients, but the hyaluronic acid and organic shea butter is enough to make up for it.
All you need is to spot treat
If you’re spotting here and there as opposed to everywhere, consider treating each spot individually. The best part is that you can use your regular spot treatment to deal with your breakout. Check out our go-to acne/spot treatments here.
You need to wash your linens (now)
If you’re sleeping on dirty sheets and drying yourself with equally dirty towels, acne is a no-brainer. Don’t let your laziness get the better of you and do your laundry. You’ll want to aim to wash your towel every week and change your sheets every two weeks—at least.
You need to change your laundry detergent
Doing everything right and still breaking out? Surprise, surprise, it may be your laundry soap to blame. Unfortunately, a lot of laundry soaps contain ingredients, dyes and fragrances that break you out. Your best bet is to opt for the hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and non-enzyme varieties.
You need to let your body breathe
Everyone loves a fitted minidress—however, your tight clothes may also be contributing to your breakouts. That’s right, tight clothing can trap dirt, oils and bacteria right up against your skin, which potentially causes breakouts.
Further, the fabrics that your clothes are made from also play a big part in your potential breakouts. Opt for breathable fabrics like linen and cotton instead of fabrics like nylon and spandex.
You stew in your sweat
Workout-aholic? A good sweat is a great way to let off steam once in a while. However, if you’re sitting around in it for hours after, you’re just setting yourself up for failure.
Think about it—you’ve got your tight workout clothes on—which is already no good in terms of breathability; and on top of that, they’re also soaked in your sweat. Do yourself a favour and hit the showers after you dry your sweat off. If for some reason you can’t shower right after a workout, change out of your sweaty gym attire and pat your body down.
You’re dehydrated
This one is kind of common sense; water is pretty much the key to life. Dull skin? Drink water. Headaches? Drink water. Breaking out? You guessed it—drink some water.
You need to see a dermatologist
If you truly are doing everything right and nothing seems to be getting better, this may be a job better suited for a dermatologist to handle. Anything from genetics to hormonal distribution could be causing your acne, so it’s best to get a proper diagnosis. From there, your dermatologist can prescribe you some heavy-duty acne treatments to get you looking #flawless.
For more skincare tips and tricks, click here.
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