While the face is by far the most common (and embarrassing) place to get acne, you can also easily get it on your chest and back, because (like your face) they contain a lot of sebaceous glands. Around 40% of men and 54% of women are affected by chest acne; among people who are out of their teens, it is actually more prevalent than facial acne. Chest acne is particularly likely to develop in the summer and on people who participate in sports. Because the skin is thicker, it can be more difficult to remove acne from non-facial areas; fortunately, the skin is also less sensitive, so you can use stronger acne treatments. Untreated or improperly treated chest acne can lead to cysts and lesions, which will leave behind scars.
So how should you go about getting rid of (or, better, preventing) chest acne? I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that we do not recommend covering your chest with toothpaste!
If you don’t have a loofah, you should buy one. (Guys: you don’t need to know what it is; just go to Amazon.com and order one). When you shower, use it to gently wash the area where you’re getting pimples. You need to get rid of the dead skin cells that are providing a fertile breeding ground for the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium, but you don’t want to be too rough as this will irritate your skin and make the acne worse. It’s a good idea to wash after you’ve been sweating (actually this is true in general, but in this case the reason is to help prevent pimples!)
There are body cleansers available that are specifically made for fighting acne. No one product works for everyone, so you may need to try several before you find one that works for you. More important than what you use is what you don’t use: avoid using heavy creams or lotions.
Wear breathable clothing so sweat can evaporate off your skin; cotton is good for this. Be careful not to wear anything too tight, as tight clothing traps sweat. (Avoid heavy backpacks as well; they can really make you sweat!) While you’re trying to avoid having sweat stay on your skin, you don’t want to use too much deodorant, as it can block your pores and increase acne. Keep your clothing and bedsheets clean! You’ll want to use detergents that are fragrance free, as otherwise it can leave behind ingredients that can aggravate your skin.
As with facial acne, you should never try to squish or pop pimples. For extreme cases of chest acne, your dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic that, taken over as long as three months, will help to eliminate your acne problems, but antibiotics are always best used as a last resort if over the counter treatments have failed.
Chest Acne
While the face is by far the most common (and embarrassing) place to get acne, you can also easily get it on your chest and back, because (like your face) they contain a lot of sebaceous glands. Around 40% of men and 54% of women are affected by chest acne; among people who are out of their teens, it is actually more prevalent than facial acne. Chest acne is particularly likely to develop in the summer and on people who participate in sports. Because the skin is thicker, it can be more difficult to remove acne from non-facial areas; fortunately, the skin is also less sensitive, so you can use stronger acne treatments. Untreated or improperly treated chest acne can lead to cysts and lesions, which will leave behind scars.
If you don’t have a loofah, you should buy one. (Guys: you don’t need to know what it is; just go to Amazon.com and order one). When you shower, use it to gently wash the area where you’re getting pimples. You need to get rid of the dead skin cells that are providing a fertile breeding ground for the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium, but you don’t want to be too rough as this will irritate your skin and make the acne worse. It’s a good idea to wash after you’ve been sweating (actually this is true in general, but in this case the reason is to help prevent pimples!)
There are body cleansers available that are specifically made for fighting acne. No one product works for everyone, so you may need to try several before you find one that works for you. More important than what you use is what you don’t use: avoid using heavy creams or lotions.
Wear breathable clothing so sweat can evaporate off your skin; cotton is good for this. Be careful not to wear anything too tight, as tight clothing traps sweat. (Avoid heavy backpacks as well; they can really make you sweat!) While you’re trying to avoid having sweat stay on your skin, you don’t want to use too much deodorant, as it can block your pores and increase acne. Keep your clothing and bedsheets clean! You’ll want to use detergents that are fragrance free, as otherwise it can leave behind ingredients that can aggravate your skin.
As with facial acne, you should never try to squish or pop pimples. For extreme cases of chest acne, your dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic that, taken over as long as three months, will help to eliminate your acne problems, but antibiotics are always best used as a last resort if over the counter treatments have failed.
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