You may think you’re the only person experiencing it—because, well, how many unclothed backs have you seen lately?—but rest assured it’s a very common skin condition and nothing to be worried or embarrassed about. It just takes a few extra steps to make sure pimples aren’t regularly popping up. (And if a few sneak up in the meantime? Don’t worry: It happens to the best of us.) Here, everything dermatologists want you to know about backne. But there are certain lifestyle factors that contribute to body acne, particularly: “And for body acne, occlusive clothing, particularly over sweaty or oily skin—think a tight athletic bra after a sweaty workout, for example.” See, body acne is more commonly triggered by sweating and workout clothes (the obvious reason being that your body is where you wear clothing, not your face). The difference? “Treatment for body acne is similar to treatment for facial acne, but the skin on the body tends to be tougher than the skin on the face, so it often can tolerate stronger treatments,” says King. Regardless, if you feel your protein powder may be to blame, consider other options—as outlined in our guide to protein powders. As for ingredients in said body masks, you can look for AHAs or BHAs, as well as charcoal or clays. “Charcoal absorbs excess sebum, so it’s a great choice if you have oily skin,” says King. Clays operate similarly, absorbing dead skin cells and oil, before sloughing off when washed. “A topical retinoid is also a great acne-fighting ingredient,” says King. “Topical retinoids have a comedolytic effect, meaning that they help to prevent and treat clogged pores. This is because they increase the turnover of skin cells and reduce the tendency of cells and keratin debris to clump together and clog up pores. They also decrease the discoloration that can be left after a pimple, and because they increase the turnover of skin cells, this reduces the healing time for acne.” While they are more commonly found in face creams or serums, you can find the ingredient in body products as well. If this is you, find hair care free of irritants (like fragrance), silicones, and comedogenic agents.
