Back Acne

Causes and Treatment of Back Acne

Acne is the skin scourge of out times. I looked up the definition of the word scourge as I was nutting out this report and man does it fit the bill. Scourge means a dreadful affliction that renders horrible tragedy on the multitudes, or to inflict sever suffering or even vengeance and punishment. Anyone who has a good run of acne for any period of time will probably agree with me that these definitions are appropriate. I say it's enough. I say take control of this scourge and throw it out! Today I will talk about back acne. Just as with facial acne the problem starts with blocked skin holes. Tiny funnels in everybody's that enable the skin to sweat. The treatment is clear. Keep the holes open and keep them clean.

Causes of Back Acne

Much like every other kind of acne, you cannot pinpoint a single cause for back acne because there are a lot of possible causes for it and often a combination is at work. A possible cause offered is the sebum secretion of the sebaceous glands.

There are external factors that could contribute or cause back acne. For instance, dirt and perspiration can be trapped on your back if you wear inappropriate clothing. Irritation caused by work environment and washing habits will also support the growth of acne clans on your back.

Some experts are also looking into diet as a cause of back acne as well as other types of acne. Diet, however, has not been conclusively proven as a definite cause. However to me diet is a very, very important part of curing acne. Keep the diet light and clean. Kick oil out of the diet.

Treating and Preventing Back Acne

In order to prevent and treat back acne, it is important that you keep your back clean and dry. Cleaning your back thoroughly will remove excess oils. Do not use harsh soaps as they could aggravate the condition by making your skin dry. You should also keep yourself hydrated all the time. Drinking a lot of water will greatly help relieve the condition. Cleaning you back gently is pretty hard to achieve. Most people never actually soap their backs. They stand in the shower and wash all their sweaty areas with soap, their hair with shampoo and their face with a variety of products however the back if it's lucky will simple receive a steady flow of fresh water. Of course there are those who buy sponges and brushes that will allow them to reach those usually removed extremities like the centre of the shoulder blades and scrub away. If you suffer back acne toss those products away now. If you have to bath alone then you will need to rig up your own soft sponge on a length of cord. The washing action should not be a full swing scrub. The sponge once located in the affected area should simply be "wiggled" from side to side. Be sure to apply an acne wash to the sponge before you begin. Be sure to dry that sponge out between uses. Disinfect the sponge on regular occasions.

Treating Back Acne Naturally

If you are hesitant about over-the-counter medications like antibiotics and creams, you could try the natural remedies for back acne. They may or may not work for all of you but they are definitely worth checking out. They are either applied on the affected area or taken orally. The following are great natural remedies for acne: a. Tea Tree Oil. This helps control skin infection. It also helps in keeping your skin hydrated. b. Diet supplements with potassium, zinc and magnesium. Get the ones that do not contain gelatin. c. Lavender Essential Oil which helps proper circulation on infected area. It is also great in preventing acne scarring. d. Witch Hazel which is great for cleaning the affected area. e. Aloe Vera which helps in skin repair and swelling reduction. f. Apple Cider Vinegar which is a great astringent.

Remember whenever trying out any remedy if the area being treated becomes painful, red or swollen cease the action immediately and go see a doctor.

There are a lot of helpful tips for people suffering from back acne that are commonly agreed upon by doctors, dermatologists, and former acne patients. I thought that I'd share them with you so that you can successfully get rid of your acne as I did.

Avoid scented and perfumed products - A lot of products on the market nowadays are bogged down with heavy floral or outdoor scents and overpowering perfumes. Scented products are counterproductive for both sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. Things like soaps and lotions that smell like potpourri or your grandmother's apple pie can actually worsen the condition of your skin. It can aggravate your skin in general, causes rashes, and double the misery of your acne. So do yourself a favor and choose natural unscented soaps and natural oil-free lotions that are rich in aloe vera but contain no added scents. You might also want to avoid using perfumes and colognes until your acne has been cleared up for a while so as not to take any chances of setting it on fire again.

Fabric softener is optional - Many people who have back acne claim that using a fabric softener on their clothing actually makes their acne worse. Experts still aren't sure what it is about fabric softener that irritates acne but if you think that it may be irritating your skin, stop using it. You can use alternative products that remove the static from your clothing so that you don't need to rely on fabric softener. However, if you do insist on using it, perhaps going through the rinse cycle twice would ensure that all traces of it are removed from your clothing before you wear them.

Keep a journal or diary - How is this going to help you? You might be surprised to know that back acne does have a lot of triggers. By keeping a journal or diary, you can document what you ate, wore, or did on a particular day and what kind of effect that had on your acne. For example, if you are consistently racing down the street at top speed to catch the train, stressing out over it, and notice that your acne worsens after these marathon races, perhaps it's time to wake up a few minutes earlier every morning. Avoid situations that unnecessarily stress you out that would lead to more acne outbreaks, which in turn would result in more stress. Unfortunately, sometimes the triggers for acne lie in our diets. If you discover that a particularly oily food like French fries sets off your acne alarms, it's time to retire those oily fries from your weekly menu. Without keeping a journal, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when and why your acne improves or gets worse. You'd be surprised at how a change in schedule might actually be able to help you fight acne naturally.

Avoid the sun - Aside from sunburns and overly crispy skin, the sun can have damaging effects on our skin and the acne covering it. It will burn and dry out your skin and acne, aggravating the condition. A good majority of people have also noticed that the sun can actually be a cause of acne itself. It's best if you cover up when out in the sun with an airy t-shirt and use sunscreen on any exposed parts of the skin. Since sunscreen, especially ones containing oil, will no doubt make your acne even more uncomfortable, it's better to just keep the skin covered. After all, it's better to safely enjoy a bright sunny day than spend half of it indoors trying to do damage control once you've baked your acne into an angry red mess.