flickr user: Miss Nels

Bacne is a slang term commonly used to describe acne breakouts on your back. Due to the large amount of oil secretions, the back is a prime albeit embarrassing spot for acne to appear. Think about it — your back is probably 5-6 times the size of your face. The likelihood of you getting a breakout or two on your back seems unavoidable. Before running to a dermatologist at the first sight of a zit on your back, try these simple preventative skin care tips.  

 Skin Care Tip #1: Exfoliate

I know what you’re thinking — how am I supposed to exfoliate my back when I can’t even see it?  Thankfully, loofahs  or mesh sponges are inexpensive, sold almost everywhere and come in all different sizes. Exfoliating will help slough off dead skin cells keeping your pretty pores free of debris. Please, please, please buy a new loofah or sterilize your old one every week or two (via dishwasher or washing machine). You don’t want to add infection causing bacteria to your precious skin.

 Skin Care Tip #2: Shower After Working Out

If you’re a gym rat, make sure to shower immediately after working out. Wet, sweaty clothes belong in your laundry, not stuck to your back. For added bacne prevention, be sure to use a body wash with salicylic acid  on your problem areas when showering.

Skin Care Tip #3: Upgrade Your Workout Gear

Not all gym clothes are created equal. I’m talking about your beloved old cotton college t-shirt in specific. T-shirts made of 100% cotton soak up water like a sponge, allowing water to penetrate all of its fibers. After a vigorous workout, you end up with a heavy, soaking wet shirt that sticks to your skin. The good news is that there’s a slew of stylish workout clothing made of special wicking fabrics that actually lift moisture away from the skin. Don’t worry- you won’t have to spend a fortune upgrading your wardrobe. Dry wick clothing is available at all price levels. Nike, Champion and Under Armour all have lines of moisture wicking fabric gear. My personal favorite is Lululemon Athletica!  Although it’s a little bit more expensive, I can honestly say it’s worth every penny.

 What are your other favorite bacne skin care tips? Please share.

Tags: acne, skin care tips

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 at 9:14 am and is filed under Bath & Body, Skincare. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.