Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Back Acne And How You Can Go About Treating It

By Don Saunders

Acne is a common problem for both teens and adults and the most common perception of acne is that it occurs on the face. However, if you have suffered from acne you know that it can occur in other places as well like the back and the chest.

While back and chest acne is not so obvious to outside observers it can nevertheless be extremely annoying for those afflicted by it. Unluckily, back and chest acne is frequently more difficult to treat than the acne that you have on your face and traditional cleaners and treatments which you use for your face will often not work as effectively when it comes to curing back acne. Also, because your back and chest are generally covered by clothing, you may experience greater irritation from the rubbing of material against your acne.

Just as you do with your facial acne you will have to have a daily treatment regimen for your back acne and the majority of common regimens include a cleanser followed by a moisturizer. Generally, it is more difficult to put medication on your back acne because of where its location and so you might require the help of a family member or to use a special applicator.

You will have to take care over the type of clothes that you wear. Rough materials or tight-fitting shirts will rub against your skin and irritate your spots resulting in greater oil production and therefore more breakouts. You also need to be careful about the type of detergent and fabric softener that you use. Occasionally detergents and fabric softeners will irritate back acne and you might need to try different brands or change to a fragrance and dye free variety.

Watch what you carry anything on you back. For teenagers in school, as well as those who go hiking and backpacking, backpacks can make back acne considerably worse. If you are experiencing an increase in the number of acne breakouts you may want to stop carrying a backpack for a while. If this is difficult then you might find that a shoulder bag helps until your acne subsides.

A doctor can be a great help with both diagnosis and treatment of back acne and will be able to start by determining just how bad your acne is and also assessing your skin type. For example, whther you skin is oily or dry or what is referred to as a combination skin plays an important part deciding upon the best course of treatment. Your doctor will also want to have a history of your acne condition, covering things like how long you have had it and how often breakouts occur. With this information he will be able to determine the best course of treatment and medication to clear up your individual case of acne. - 14915

About the Author:

No comments: