“BACNE.” Cute name, but it’s no laughing matter for guys who have to put up with irritating bouts of acne on their back, shoulders and neck. What makes it worse is that this condition usually results from doing something that’s actually good for you: exercise.
Here are eight simple ways to help reduce back acne:
1. Water, Water Everywhere: Take a shower immediately after exercising or sweating heavily. Don’t wear sweaty clothes any longer than necessary; leaving sweat on your body can actually cause back acne breakouts.
2. Smooth a Craggy Exterior: Exfoliate your back skin with a loofah or MenScience Body Buff Gloves when you shower to remove dead skin cells. This is the perfect complement for back acne treatment.
3. Attack of the Lizard-Skinned Men! Typical soaps can dry out your skin, resulting in overproduction of sebum (the oily substance that lubricates skin), and increased sebum production means oily skin — and oily skin leads to clogged pores and back acne breakouts. Wash irritated or acne prone skin with a deep cleanser like the Daily Body Wash that combines salicylic, glycolic and beta hydroxy acids with moisturizing and soothing ingredients like Urea, Allantoin and Aloe Vera.
4. Are Polka-Dots Back in Style? Benzoyl peroxide acne spot creams works great as a topical solution for drying up annoying back acne blemishes. But make sure it dries completely before you put on a shirt to avoid stains on clothes.
5. The Touch, the Feel of…Polyester? Light cotton and cotton blends are good exercise clothes since they are breathable and allow oxygen to interact with the skin. But if you sweat a lot, cotton can trap sweat and clog pores on your back, resulting in back acne. Try wearing synthetic fabrics with mesh-like weaves to pull sweat from your skin’s surface. And remember to keep it loose: The point is for air to be able to get to your pores to prevent back acne breakouts.
6. Get a Haircut, Hippie: Long, sweaty hair can aggravate or cause back acne if it hangs on or brushes your skin a lot. Consider getting a trim, or at least finding a way to pull it off your back when exercising.
7. Make like a Vampire: Sunlight seems to clear back acne up, but the sun’s rays can also damage skin and darken scars and marks permanently. Cover up as much as you can when outdoors and slap on some sunscreen when you go shirt-less. Try a non-greasy sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, like TiO2 Sunblock, to stay protected without clogging pores or causing back acne.
8. Maintain Your Gear, Maintain Your Skin: Make sure helmets, backpacks, and other protective exercise gear fit you. Constant rubbing from loose articles can cause skin irritations.
