Banish Body Acne with These Tips
Having facial acne is one thing, but when it spreads to your body it takes the frustration to a whole new level. Luckily, just as you can get rid of acne on your face, you can get rid of body acne, too.
Understanding Body Acne
Any form of acne is typically the result of oil and dirt-filled pores trapped beneath the skin. Over time, inflammation will begin to set in causing acne to appear in the form of pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and cysts.
Body acne can also be caused by a buildup of dead skin cells. Our skin cells die regularly and when they die, they come to the surface of our skin. This is the dry skin and flaking that we usually see. Yet, for some of us, instead of just flaking and sloughing away, our dead skin cells build up underneath the skin causing raised bumps.
Tips on How to Banish Body Acne
Now that we know its causes, here are the top 5 tips that are sure to banish body acne.
1. Take Daily Showers
Taking a shower is a good way to not only reduce your chance of developing body acne, but also reduces new breakouts from happening in the first place. Taking daily showers can help flush contaminants down the drain. It is important that you do so every day regardless of how much you sweat or how little.
2. Exfoliate
Those pesky dead skin cells can cause a lot of damage by creating serious body acne. Exfoliating your body will help buff out the skin cells and free up your pores. Not only will it reduce the size and severity of your acne, but it will also help to prevent future pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads from appearing.
3. Use Acne-Fighting Soaps
Body acne typically responds to certain ingredients that have been added to many soaps and body washes. Salicylic acid, for example, is a popular acne-fighting substance and is the main ingredient in topical acne treatments. Using cleansers that contain salicylic acid can dry out bumps and reduce their appearance.
4. Moisturize With the Right Lotions
After your shower, you should moisturize with a non-comedogenic lotion. Having dry skin can irritate and inflame the skin, which then causes acne. Some lotions even contain salicylic acid.
5. Wash Sweaty Clothes Regularly
If you sweat through your clothes or accessories, be sure to wash them. That trapped sweat is also filled with oil and dirt so it’s best not to keep it against your skin for prolonged periods of time. After a workout, remove the sweaty clothing as soon as possible and take a shower to wash off extra dirt, sweat, and oil.
Backpacks and purses can also carry oil and dirt on them. When placed across the shoulders, the oil and dirt is transmitted onto the skin, potentially causing more acne.
If you’d like to explore other options or want more information and are in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, our experts at The Dermatology Group can help. Give us a call today!