Banish Body Acne with These Four Tips
Unfortunately, acne is not always limited to only appearing on the face. It can appear on our back, chest, arms and other areas of the body making us feel self-conscious. Facial acne and body acne have different treatments to help eliminate it. The dermatologists at Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute can help provide you with the best treatments and tips to banish body acne.
About Body Acne
Facial acne is common in men and women of all ages. Sometimes it occurs at a young age and other times it occurs when we are older. Body acne is also common. It can appear on the back, arms, legs, chest and other areas of the body. Facial acne and body acne can occur because of rising hormone levels. Glands in our face and other body areas can become overstimulated causing them to produce extra oils. This results in blocked glands. Blocked glands can occur our face or on other areas of the body, resulting in acne. If you have been a victim of body acne, we have four tips to help banish it.
Banishing Body Acne
Banishing and preventing body acne can be accomplished by a few different techniques. Including, changing your body wash, using an appropriate moisturizer, applying topical treatments, and by visiting a dermatologist.
Body wash that contains salicylic acid and glycolic acid are best for diminishing body acne. Salicylic acid exfoliates the surface layer of the skin while unclogging pores. This helps to stop body acne from forming. Glycolic acid dissolves dead skin cells and helps to remove any marks left behind from body acne. You can still purchase the lovely smelling coconut body wash; just be sure it has salicylic and/or glycolic acid listed in the ingredients. After you shower, make sure to moisturize your skin. Just like choosing the right body wash, choosing the right moisturizer is important. Moisturizers that are non-comedogenic should be used to avoid clogging your pores. Other ingredients to look for include hypoallergenic and hyaluronic acid.
In addition to using the correct body wash and moisturizer, it is important to be patient with your skin and not to pick at the acne. Instead, use a topical treatment for relief. Body acne can be intriguing to pick at, but you will only make it worse. Find a topical treatment that has benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as ingredients and apply to affected areas.
When to Visit a Dermatologist
If your body acne is severe and persistent, a visit to the dermatologist can help. A dermatologist can prescribe extra-strength oral medications to help banish body acne and if you have scarring, laser treatments can be performed. Prescription oral medications can help stop excessive oil production that results in body acne while also killing bacteria. If your body acne has left scarring microdermabrasion, directly observed therapy (DOT), or other light therapies may be recommended.
If body acne has you feeling insecure and uncomfortable, whether it is severe or not, the dermatologists at Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute can help you put these tips into action. If you are in Bloomington, Illinois or the surrounding areas get in touch with us.