Back acne treatments are not as widely talked about as facial acne treatments, however for those with back acne these treatments are vital, not only from a vanity point of view, but also for pain relief as back acne can be extremely uncomfortable. Cystic back acne is probably more common than you think and it can unfortunately lead to unsightly and permanent scarring. When acne breaks out on the back, or any other part of the body for that matter, it needs to be treated as early as possible because if it is not there is a chance that these spots may turn into pustules and sometimes even to boils or an abscess. One of the biggest difficulties with back acne is that it is harder to treat than facial acne, because not only it is spread over a large area, but it is also difficult to reach all the affected areas making it hard to clean and apply medication. As well as that people find applying treatment to their backs sometimes painful too. Back acne now has its own name too now, as it is commonly referred to as 'bacne'

Now for all the negatives and difficulties listed above, bacne is still very treatable, however it is best treated if you know what causes it then you can apply lifestyle changes as well as treatments to keep your bacne under control. So lets look at what causes the acne outbreak on the back.

Oil from the sebaceous glands is the main cause of acne breakouts, whether it be your face, back or any other part of your body. Your back though has several sebaceous glands that generate oils, which is the main reason why your back area can be more prone to suffer from acne. What happens is that oils from these glands are continuously secreted by the pores in the skin. Now this process in itself is quiet natural. However the acne is caused when the Sebum (oil) which normally drains to the surface gets blocked and bacteria begins to grow. This in turn is what causes blackheads or whiteheads. So now we know what causes it what can we do about it?

One of the first treatments most people turn to is Benzoyl peroxide. This treatment is probably the oldest and most common treatment as it can be bought over the counter, or is commonly prescribed by GP's. Benzoyl peroxide will kill any bacteria that may accumulate on your back as you sweat or as the pores block trapping the sebum oil.. Benzoyl peroxide works by killing the acne bacteria and reducing oil production.

Another method which is more prevention than cure is to wash daily with a salicylic-acid-based cleanser. As well as doing this if possible make sure that you shower as soon as possible after perspiring. However if you all ready have an outbreak then you should also wipe the area with a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid pad and follow with an alpha hydroxy acid-based body moisturizer (this is an exfoliating process which prevents skin drying out).

Finally you could always use a topical cream on your bacne. If this is the route you choose you are better of choosing a topical cream or gel made from 4% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3 or Niacin). Niacinamide or Nicotinamide as it is sometimes called is great to get rid of bacne. Like most treatments though, topical therapies also come with some side effects such redness, irritation, and/or peeling. Unfortunately it appears that of all the treatments available topical creams are the least effective.