Picture this: you’ve perfected your skincare routine and you’re starting to see an improvement in your skin. All of a sudden, you’re starting to see breakouts on areas other than your face- your chest, your shoulders, your back, etc. Body acne can be extra frustrating, as it can be hard to reach with typical skin care products, and these products may not even have the same effectiveness on other areas of your body. This type of acne is typically called body acne. It can happen to anyone, whether or not you’ve struggled with acne on your face and regardless of your age.
What causes body acne?
Many of the root causes of body acne are similar to that of your face, namely hormones, overactive oil glands, bacteria, and sadly, genetics. However, things like excess sweat, hair products, clothing items, and poor hygiene often lead to breakouts on the body.
How can I treat body acne?
The skin on your upper body is known to contain a ton of sebaceous glands, meaning that there is a lot of oil production going on. While it may be a bit more stubborn to treat, there are ways that you can help fight acne on the body.
Switch out your body wash: If you’re suffering from body acne, it may be time to try out a new body wash that’s formulated specifically to treat and prevent body acne. While you’re washing your body, it’s important that you’re clearing away all the dead skin, excess oil, and bacteria from the skin that can combine to create breakouts. Switch out your normal wash for something like the Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash, formulated with free glycolic acid to exfoliate away bumps and reveal softer and smoother skin. Another great option is the HydroPeptide Invigorating Body Wash with lactic acid, caffeine, peptides, and peppermint to deeply cleanse the skin while nourishing and moisturizing the skin.
Use a scrub: The skin on the rest of your body compared to your face can handle a bit more, which is why you might want to introduce a physical exfoliant into your shower routine that can physically scrub away the dead skin and oil. The Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub combines glycolic acid and exfoliating particles to reveal silky, glowing skin on even the most stubborn of skin. Additionally, the Fur Silk Scrub smoothes and polishes skin with a powerhouse of natural extracts, including papaya, pineapple enzymes, and jojoba beads along with glycolic and lactic acid.
Try a topical treatment:Â Just like on your face, sometimes simply cleansing doesn’t cut it, and you will want to add a stronger treatment to the skin to treat the acne. Many times, you can use the same acne-focused products on your body that you do on your face, like the Replenix Acne Solutions Pads with glycolic and salicylic acid that work to unclog pores and fight acne. It can be hard to reach certain places sometimes, which is why the Glytone Acne Treatment Spray is so helpful- it has 2% salicylic acid in an easy-access spray bottle to treat and prevent breakouts anywhere on your body.
Don’t forget to moisturize:Â Just because you’re seeing an increase in breakouts doesn’t mean you should cut out the moisturizer! The skin on your body needs just as much extra hydration as your face. If you’re looking for lightweight moisture for your body, the iS Clinical Youth Body Serum has hyaluronic acid, algae, Vitamin B5, and other natural extracts to deeply hydrate the skin without making it feel oily or greasy. Another option is the PCA Skin Body Therapy, a full-body moisturizer with lactic acid, shea butter, and glycerin to maximize moisture and promote healthy and smooth skin.
As we create skincare routines, it’s easy to focus solely on our face and forget about the rest of our body, but it needs plenty of TLC too! Even if you’re not suffering with body acne, it’s still important to take care of your skin-all of it!
