Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
The main cause of body acne is the over secretion of sebum by the sebaceous glands. Acne lesions occur in areas where the skin surface has a greater concentration of sebaceous glands. The most common sites for acne are, therefore, the face then the back and chest. While body pimples and acne are more prevalent in men, high-flying career women are among the first to develop body acne and facial acne later in life - clearly showing the relationship between stress and the appearance of acne.
Women and men that have active physical lifestyles tend to suffer more with body acne due in part to more frequent perspiration. While not considered a fool-proof body acne cure, one body acne treatment that has been shown to help to prevent skin problems is a simple shower following exercise. This will help to wash away excess oils and allow the skin to breathe immediately following your physical exertion thereby reducing the incidence of body acne.
While young men commonly suffer from facial acne during adolescence, older males have more of a tendency to suffer with body acne and body pimples on the torso.
Body acne is prevalent and often harder to treat than facial acne. The back is made up of thousands of sebaceous glands that produce excess levels of oil making this area more susceptible to the formation of cysts and nodules.
A simple body acne cure can also include wearing loose clothing made from natural, breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. This clothing allows the body to perspire freely. In the same way that diet and stress effect facial acne they also effect body acne therefore the basic "clear skin rules" of cutting out greasy, fatty foods, and sugary foods as well as trying to reduce everyday stress apply to body acne as well.
A common problem with treating body acne is the difficulty in reaching areas where the pimples may form. As with the face, harsh acne agents are not recommended since they can dry and irritate the skin. Instead, Witch Hazel can be used to enhance your daily cleaning routine since it also reduces inflammation and its astringent properties help skin tissue regenerate.
Since body acne (acne on the chest, back, shoulders and neck) is harder to treat then facial acne it requires a longer and more intense treatment regimen to see results. The back is made up of tougher skin with thousands of sebaceous glands that can produce excess levels of oil making this area more susceptible to the formation of cysts and nodules which usually requires a longer treatment period to clear the back of acne.
Blend all the oils together and keep in a dark glass bottle. Massage daily over all the acne areas. When the skin has absorbed the oil freshen with a mixture of witch hazel or aloe vera gel. Native Americans traditionally used poultices of aloe vera to reduce inflammation and soothe. The gel contains a hormone that accelerates wound healing and it has mild antiseptic and antibiotic qualities. The essential oils have antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties which help to control the bacteria on the skin surface.