Effective Ways of Dealing with Bacne
It’s also known as back acne, and can be one of the most worrisome—hard to deal with spots where acne sometimes forms. Because the back is one of the hardest to reach (and observe), bacne is a particularly troublesome form of acne. Fear not, though; there are several time-tested ways of dealing with this “monkey on your back”.
Bacne can appear-in just as many forms as acne—say, on the face—can. Pimples, whiteheads, blackheads and cysts can, yes, even make their way back there. This happens when your sebaceous glands produce too much sebum—an oily substance that is meant to protect the skin and hair follicles.
Try any one of these techniques, or even a mixture of them.
• Assuming that you already know to get a minimum of two baths daily, invest in a soft back scrubber (aka back-brush or “loofah”). Later it with a soft, non-abrasive soap and scrub thoroughly—yet gently.
• You want to exfoliate, or remove toxins like dead skin cells, bacteria-laden oils, dirt and soot.
• When you’ve dried off, put an acne-fighting cream on the bacne (that contains a retinoid, benzoyl, or salicylic acid). If you have someone who doesn’t mind applying medication to your back, have them use a cotton swab to apply the solution.
• Since your back sweats almost more than any other part of the skin, extra care has to be taken to reduce the sweating as much as possible.
• Don’t wear tight shirts; instead, make sure they are airy, loose and comfortable. Cotton shirts generally allow much better air circulation than other materials.
• The soap that you use while showering should be fragrance-free and have either glycolic acid or salicylic-based ingredients.
Another important thing to consider is your diet and your stress-level. While stress as an acne-inflaming trigger has not been scientifically proven, it’s best to avoid stress whenever/where possible. Your diet should include organic vegetables, fruits and other non-greasy foods. Try to avoid fast-food, and drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day (as water is a great internal detoxifier).
More items that need your attention
• If you sleep without a shirt (i.e. guys), make it a point to change or wash you sheets often. Why? Because some of the dirt, oil, sweat and bacteria rubs-off, and when you start rolling around in it—well, you get the point.
• Some people have suggested olive leaf extracts as natural antibiotics. They claim that olive leafs contain anti-fungal, anti-toxin properties.
• Also, you can try filling your tub or Jacuzzi with luke-warm water. Hop in, and soak your back for around 10 minutes. Also, while not required, it will not hurt to drain the water after 10 minutes (to dispose of the water that, by now, probably has plenty of bacteria and oil in it), fill the tub up again and soak again. Wax on, wax off.
• When you’re considering an acne cleanser or antibiotic, keep in mind that the skin on your back is the toughest of all. Therefore, go for products with higher levels of benzoyl or salicylic acid.
• However, never use a product that specifically says that is for the back anywhere else on the body (like your neck or, especially, your face). More than likely, these products are more robust, more powerful and should not be applied to other parts of the skin—since skin anywhere else is likely to be much more fragile.