Acne Consumer Report - Consumer Reports & Unbiased Reviews

Body acne can sometimes be resistant to treatment due to the thickness of the skin on our bodies. Looking for an effective body acne product can be difficult as most acne products are focused on treating facial acne. In mild cases of body acne the same products used for facial skin problems can be used as body acne products.

However there are body acne specific products that can be used effectively if milder treatments are found to have no effect. Another advantage of treating problem skin on the body is that you can combine treatments as the skin is not as sensitive as on the face. You will find that the ingredients tend to be more concentrated.

Mild Cases

Mild cases clear up with proper cleansing and the right body acne products. One option is to use a cleanser with salicylic acid. This can be used every day, once in the morning and again in the evening. If the affected area is small then consider using pads that have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Rub the area lightly with these pads to find some relief from the irritation.

Alpha hydroxyl acids are very effective ingredients in body acne products. This ingredient can help to exfoliate skin by increasing cell turnover and helping unblock pores. Blocked pores can often be the main cause for skin problems. Alpha hydroxyl acid comes in many body acne products so consider using such a product in tandem with other products.

Medication

Accutane is prescribed as a body acne product and it does produce excellent results. However this oral body acne product is not recommended unless other methods have been tried without the desired effect. This is because Accutane has many side effects that are often long term. It’s best not to go down this route unless you are really desperate. It is also necessary to keep up with this medication to keep skin problems at bay.

Time

You may not have the results you want from just one body acne product. Combining body acne products such as a salicylic acid wash and a lotion with alpha hydroxyl acids is one way to combine different treatments.

Changing your diet is another way to help your treatments. You will need to experiment with different treatments before finding one that works for you. You will also need to be patient before moving on to a new treatment. Sometimes treatments may take time to kick in and show any results.

Body acne can be very embarrassing; you can feel extremely self conscious about it, especially when swimsuit season rolls around. The good news is that there is a way for you to cure body acne without using too many chemicals. Some very simple steps can help you to improve the appearance of your skin.

Remember that you need to give everything a trial period before you decide if it’s working. Choose the type of body acne product you want to use carefully and use product one at a time to determine the effectiveness of each product. A holistic approach may also be the most effective way to cure body acne.

Showers

Showers are an important part of keeping body acne at bay. When you shower one simple cure for body acne is to use acne soap. Sulfur based soaps are good for treating acne and this can be an effective cure for body acne. Look in health shops for this kind of acne soap.

Showering after your work out or have been active is extremely important. A good cleanser can also be very effective on body acne. If you find that there is a particular cleanser that works well on your face, don’t hesitate to use it as a cure for body acne too.

Diet

For some people the cure for body acne lies in what they eat. A bad diet can contribute to body acne. Acne can sometimes tell you what’s missing from your daily diet. Zinc is important to keep your skin clear and free of breakouts. Increase the amount of zinc rich foods in your diet to help keep your skin clear.

Vitamin A is important for strengthening the tissue that protects your skin and prevents acne. Eating more beta-carotene can help you to cure body acne. Carrots are a great source for vitamin A. Another important supplement to your diet is chromium; this can help you to prevent pimples by helping to fight infections in the body.

A good multi vitamin is also a good idea if you find yourself constantly breaking out. This may help any imbalances in your diet. However this should not be a substitute for proper nutrition. If you feel that your diet is to blame for your bad skin then see nutritionist who can help you to modify your diet for better skin. Although junk food is not a direct cause of bad or problem skin it does not help.

Acne is embarrassing at any age but it can be doubly embarrassing when it continues into your adult years and appears in places other than your face. Adult body acne need not be left untreated; there are some very accessible ways for you to cure body acne.

You can soon break out those outfits that you put away for fear of exposing your adult body acne. While it may be tougher to treat, understanding why you have body acne is essential to treating it.

The Area

Pay attention to the particular area that adult body acne occurs. While it might be a coincidence that acne keeps appearing in one particular area, there may also be something that is causing the irritation. Clothing that is rubbing against the area and causing irritation is one possible reason for adult body acne. Ensuring that you wear clothes made from natural fibers can help to reduce adult body acne.

If you find acne on your back, shoulders, or chest then there is a regimen you can use to treat adult body acne. Cleansing regularly is necessary to keep adult body acne under control. If you have a mild case of acne on your body then a solution with 10% alpha hydroxyl acid will help to keep skin clear.

If your acne is more serious you will need to first cleanse the skin with a gentle cleanser. A mild soap is okay to sue for this part of the treatment. A solution of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide and 10% alpha hydroxyl acid is necessary to help keep acne in check. Remember that you need to be generous with both of these solutions.

You should notice a difference if used regularly over a period of two to three weeks. Shower regularly, at least twice a day to clear up adult body acne and use this regimen during showers. Licorice root and tea tree oil are both natural ingredients that when used in combination with alpha hydroxyl acid can really boost recovery from adult body acne.

The key to getting rid of adult body acne is consistency in treatment methods. Remember there is no immediate relief. You might want to keep photographic proof to keep track of how effective a treatment is for you. Another option is to see a dermatologist if you find that home cures and over the counter solutions is not doing anything for you. Scarring is perhaps worse than acne so remember not to pick at your acne.

Body acne is a skin disease that can be treated by proper treatment. Production of a complex oily substance called sebum by the sebaceous glands causes the skin pores to get blocked allowing bacteria to build up. Body acne is much harder to treat than facial acne, as blemishes are usually deep and highly inflamed. There are large nodules and cystic breakout, and theses lesions may cause serious scarring. To treat adult body acne, it is important to learn about your skin type and acne type so that the treatment can be based on that.

Body Acne Treatment

Body acne does not affect only teenagers, but is quite common in adults as well, and it targets back, legs, chest and buttocks. Hormones and perspiration are the main culprits for body acne.

In case of mild acne with occasional breakouts, it is possible to treat them with acne body wash containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. But if over-the-counter products are not showing any good results after few weeks of use, consult a dermatologist, who may prescribe a gel, cleanser or lotion containing benzoyl peroxide for acne body treatment. These lotions or gels must be applied on the clean body once or twice a day.

Get rid of the dead skin cells by exfoliating regularly using a scrub or soap that are not harsh. You can also use tomato, cucumber or lemon for this purpose. Do not let your skin dry, as it can irritate the skin making it red and itchy. Moisturize the affected area using a good moisturizer, but do not rub the affected area more than twice or thrice a day.

Body acne is easily irritated by sweat, so it is important to shower right after any strenuous exercise. Also avoid wearing the fabrics that trap heat against the skin including backpacks, sports equipment, bra straps, purse and tight clothing. Never pop the pimples, as it will cause more inflammation and scarring. Athletic clothing does not breathe and perspiration gets trapped inside the clothes against skin. This sweat mixes with the surface oils resulting in creation of chemical barriers that can clog pores and cause blemishes.

Treating body acne takes time, and it is important to remain patient. Just be consistent with daily skin care routine and medications. If after few weeks of use, you feel that the medication is not working, talk to your dermatologist. Acne body treatment is based mainly on trial methods till finding the treatment that works best for you.

If appropriate body acne treatment is not taken on time, it may result in body scarring permanently. When looking for body acne treatment, salicylic acid can be the best choice. Most of acne body cleansers contain this acid, and must be used on the affected areas at least twice a day.

Body acne can be as embarrassing and painful as facial acne, but the body acne breakouts can be controlled using a good quality acne body wash. Though, most of the people get acne on their face and neck, acne on legs, feet, neck, back and stomach is not uncommon. Inflammation of sebaceous glands and hair follicles causes acne in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and pustules.

Body acne can be mild, moderate or severe. Severe body acne is characterized by painful and large legions, mainly on chest and back.

Curing Acne

Real cause of body acne is not known, but it is believed that some hormones, and few other factors such as stress are the main culprits. Some external factors may also trigger acne and irritate the skin.

Regular use of acne body wash prevents the acne, but cannot treat the cause of it. There is wide range of acne body wash products available in the market these days. It is easy to narrow down the search by looking at the active ingredients involved. Most commonly used active ingredients in acne body wash are benzyl peroxide and salicyclic acid.

To treat severe body acne, it is important to use other acne treatment products as well in addition to acne body wash. There are special kinds of moisturizers available that contain topical retinoid to prevent infections. Wear natural fabrics and fibres that are specially engineered to keep the moisture away from the skin. Do not use backpack till acne clears. Try to shower immediately after perspiring and wash the affected areas with acne body wash.

Do not scrub the skin, wipe using a soft towel and then apply product that contains benzoyl peroxide. For people with dry skin, moisturize using non-comedongenic moisturizer, as dry skin can also lead to breakouts. Most of the body acne is cystic, and it is quite common for them to burst that causes bleeding and then leaves a scar. Emu oil is generally used to moisturise the affected area and is quite effective.

Some of the most commonly used acne body washes are Neutrogena body clear body wash, Murad acne body wash, AcneFree acne body wash, OXY body wash and Phisoderm Anti-blemish body wash.

For severe cases, talk to your doctor regarding alternative body acne treatment that can help get rid of acne and scars. If first-line treatment doesn’t work, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole or amoxicillin is usually prescribed by the doctor. It is important to be patient, as it takes a long time to successfully treat the body acne.

Acne is a common problem, and it usually affects chest, back, shoulders, legs, face and buttocks. Body acne is more difficult to treat, as body skin is thicker than facial skin. Exact cause of body acne is not known, but it has been proven that skin irritation can make it worse. Anything rubbing against the skin can cause irritation. Body acne can be just as annoying and embarrassing as the facial acne, and it puts restriction on wearing many types of clothes.

Causes Of Body Acne

Body acne is caused by extra sebum that is produced by sebaceous glands, and this extra sebum mixes with the skin cells, clogging the pores and attracting bacteria. This produces inflamed lesions called acne. Everyone is equally susceptible to body acne, in any part of the body. It may appear in the form of pimples, whiteheads, pustules, blackheads, legions or cysts, and these can be quite pesky and painful. In addition to hormones, menstrual breakouts and stress, other causes for body acne are tight-fitting clothes and perspiration.

Getting Rid Of Body Acne

Body acne in hard-to-reach back areas is not easy to treat, but with right products and regime, it is possible to get rid of it. Washing the acne-prone areas using anti-bacterial soap with salicylic acid-based cleaner can be quite helpful. As the skin of the body is thicker than that of the face, it can handle these products better to dry out the acne. After washing, use a moisturiser that contains alpha hydroxyl acid to exfoliate and reduce dryness.

Do not scrub the affected areas of body acne, as it will only increase the inflammation and irritation. It is important to wash the acne prone areas with acne body wash just after the perspiration, such as after a hot sweaty day, or after rigorous exercise. Acne treatment regime takes time to show the result, hence if any new regime is started, give it at least six weeks to decide if it works for you or not.

Even if following a good regime, the body acne is not being cured, consult a dermatologist. The dermatologist may prescribe oral antibiotics or topical treatments. Acutane is usually the last resort to treat body acne, but has shown to be quite effective in treating all kinds of acne.

Once the body acne has been treated, certain measures must be taken to reduce the frequency of outbreaks, such as wearing loose fitting clothes while exercising as fabric can irritate the skin causing acne, choosing fragrance-free products, including more fruits and vegetables in your diet, and drinking plenty of water.

Body acne can be every bit as distressing as having the pimples on your face. People who have acne on their neck, shoulders, chest or back are often too embarrassed to wear certain clothes that reveal skin in those areas. People with this problem may also avoid intimate situations for fear of their romantic partner seeing or feeling their acne. Fortunately there are many different body acne medications available that can be used to address the problem. The key is finding the right body acne medication that is most effective for you.

Somewhat Stronger

Acne on the body is more difficult to treat than that of the face. That’s because the skin on the body is thicker and tougher and the pores are also larger. Therefore body acne medications are usually more potent than those designed for the face because they contain more of whatever active ingredient is used to correct the condition. Therefore any topical body acne medication generally is not recommended for use on the face since the skin there is much more delicate.

Over The Counter

Unless your problem is a particularly severe then it is always best to start with a non-prescription body acne medication. The medications that you can buy online or at your local drugstore usually contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and citric acid. These ingredients work by cleaning the pores and killing of the bacteria that cause acne. You should keep using your non-prescription body acne medication for six to eight weeks. If the problem does not improve in that time then you should speak to your health care provider or consult with a dermatologist to see if you can get a prescription strength body acne medication.

Prescription Strength

If your problem is severe or has not cleared up with a non-prescription medication then you probably need something stronger. Some prescription body acne medications contain a high concentration of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Other topical medications contain a potent anti-acne ingredient called azelaic acid. There are also oral prescription body acne medications available. These include antibiotics and pills called Accutane that shrink the oil glands in the skin.

Other Tips

There are other things you can do to get rid of body pimples besides using body acne medication. You should make sure you keep your skin as clean as possible by showering at least once a day. It is also a good idea to avoid using any oil based bath and body products. Make a point of only wearing clothes that are made out of natural fibers. Up your water intake and avoid eating foods that contain too much grease or sugar. Taking these steps in conjunction with using the right body acne medication should soon make those unsightly pimples a thing of the past.

Only somebody who has suffered from the problem of acne knows exactly how it makes you feel. If you have acne on your face it is hard to deal with everyday social situations because you feel like each person you have to converse with is looking at your pimples instead of seeing the real person underneath. If you have acne on your chest or back you cannot dress in less to cool off during the summer months without feeling a degree of embarrassment. Intimate situations also present their own set of issues. The problem of acne is very upsetting for anybody who is unfortunate enough to experience it. That is why people spend millions of dollars every year on anti acne medications.

No Easy Task

Finding the right anti acne medication isn’t always easy. The problem is that what works for one individual might not be effective for the next. That is because each situation requires a different treatment plan. A person who is prone to dry skin will need a different anti acne medication to a person whose skin is excessively oily. A person with lesions on their back or chest requires body acne medication while an individual with pimples on their face needs something else to treat their problem. The right anti acne medication also depends on the kind of lesions you have and the severity of your problem. For example, a mild case of acne can usually be cured with an over the counter gel or cream that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Conversely a severe case of acne generally requires prescription strength anti acne medication.

Step By Step

If you have a mild or moderate acne problem start by purchasing a topical anti acne medication online or at your local drug store. Keep using the medication for six to eight weeks. If the anti acne medication does not work you can either try a different medication or speak to your health care provider and ask them to prescribe something stronger. A severe case of acne requires a prescription strength anti acne medication. Ask your doctor or dermatologist for a topical ointment and if that doesn’t start to improve the problem within a month or two ask about oral prescription medications that treat the problem.

Regardless of whether your acne is mild, moderate or severe finding the right solution to your problem is a gradual process and it requires a little patience. However, once you have found the right anti acne medication it will effectively treat your problem so that you can lead a normal life without worrying about other people staring at your pimples or judging you.

If you suffer from acne then you already know that the actual pimples and the embarrassment they cause are just a part of the problem. Even when the pimples eventually clear up after treatment you are still left with raised scars or pock marks on your skin. These marks can impact your self-esteem just as much as the pimples did.

Do you have residual scars on your face or body from a former acne problem? If you would like to get rid of the scars you might wish to consider trying an acne scar medication. This kind of treatment is not an anti acne medication and will not help to get rid of a current outbreak. It is intended for use after an individual has used other treatment options to successfully stop the acne outbreaks.

Different Types Of Scar

All acne scars are the result of pimples damaging the skin tissue. However, there are different types of acne scar. The correct acne scar medication for any one individual depends on the type of scarring they have and the severity of their problem. Some acne scars are the result of tissue loss and these generally look like small craters. Other acne scars are caused by a buildup of excess tissue. Then there are scars that are nothing more than a red mark that remains for a while after the pimple is gone.

Various Treatment Options

If you are fortunate enough that your acne scars are simply red discolorations you may not need any medication to treat the problem. Red discolorations usually go away without any treatment in time. If you only have slightly raised bumps then the best acne scar medication is a topical exfoliating gel or cream. If your scars are the result of slight tissue loss then the resolution may involve a topical acne scar medication that contains collagen.

Unfortunately some acne scars are severe and they involve significant tissue loss or formation. In the case of severe tissue loss the acne scar medication may involve collagen injections or punch grafts. If a lot of excess skin tissue has built up then the treatment may take the form of a chemical peel or dermabrasion.

If you have acne scars perhaps you are wondering which medical treatment would suit you. To determine which acne scar medication you require you will need to consult with a dermatologist. They will be able to examine your skin in order to decide on the correct course of action for your particular problem. The good news is that modern medical technology offers numerous options for the treatment of acne scars, regardless of the severity of the problem.