back acne

Back Acne: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

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What is back acne?

If you have acne on your back (also known as “bacne”), as well as your face and maybe also your chest, this is likely to be because you have a type of acne called severe acne.

Severe acne is a systemic condition, which means it has an underlying rather than a superficial cause. It involves inflamed nodules and cysts in more than one area, especially the shoulders.

Severe acne is driven by a sensitivity to hormones, in particular Dihydrotestosterone or DHT.

What causes back acne?

There are many reasons why people can develop back acne. Some of these include hormonal imbalances, genetics, certain medications and even sweat.

Research suggests that diet may play a part too. Foods that have a high glycemic index, contain dairy, as well as certain carbohydrates may trigger back acne.

 

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Back acne symptoms

cystic lesions

Nodules and cysts

Cysts and nodules reside deep underneath the skin’s surface. Cysts are filled with pus and are usually softer than nodules.

oily skin

Excess oil

Your back, like your face, has numerous sebaceous glands that secrete an oily substance called sebum. Sebum, along with dead skin cells and bacteria, can build up in the hair follicles on your back and clog them.

cell turnover

Increased skin cell turnover

Acne-prone skin produces more dead skin cells than is typical, and these cells aren’t properly shed. These can mix with oil and debris to block the pores and make way for breakouts to appear.

acne bacteria

Increased bacteria

People who suffer from acne are likely to have more of one of two versions of a type of bacteria, propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), on their skin. This can cause breakouts.

Inflammation

Acne occurs when hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions and dead skin cells. If the clogged pore becomes infected with bacteria, inflammation results.

Back acne treatment

If you suffer from back acne or “bacne”, you should be referred to a dermatologist who can assess your skin. Severe acne should be treated with medication before skin treatments and only alongside products that have been recommended by the dermatologist. The extent and severity of your back acne will determine which medication the dermatologist will prescribe to you and how long for. You will be booked in for regular skin reviews to monitor the results. It’s often more difficult to treat back acne than acne on the face, due to the back’s tougher skin and thousands of sweat-causing glands. It’s important to treat severe back acne as soon as possible for the best chance of minimising acne scarring.
skin peels

Salicylic Peels

isolaz blue light therapy

Isolaz Therapy

Glycolic Peels

Laser Resurfacing

Microneedling

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Back acne treatment at sk:n

Book an acne consultation with us at your nearest sk:n clinic. This costs £25 and you will be seen by a qualified acne specialist. They will confirm you have back acne and refer you to see a dermatologist, which will incur an additional fee.

It is likely the doctor will then prescribe you medication and you will be booked in for a skin review in a few weeks’ time. When your severe acne is under control with medication, you will be able to undergo further treatments to help your skin. Once we’ve tackled the problem of new acne breakouts, it’s time to work on any acne scarring.

At sk:n, we’re proud to have the largest network of leading dermatologists who understand the medical causes of back acne and can provide the right treatments.

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