So, unfortunately I did not grow out of teen acne; I'm 26.. I use Mary Kay on my face and it does a great job of keeping me clear. I need to find something that works for my back. I really wish that I could afford to go to a Dermatologist. Summer is coming and I don't want to feel like I have to hide my back in the warm weather. I want to get ahold of this and quit being embarrassed. I'm even embarrassed to talk about it here!
My Mary Kay is a face wash and then a blemish toner thing you put on with a cotton ball. I was trying to figure out how I could reach my back to put the medicated stuff on my back. Any great ideas? Any other ideas of products or tips to clear it up? Any one else had this problem? It's so embarassing!
Years ago I used a Neutrogena anti-acne body wash. I think is had salicylic acid in it and came from the drug store. Read what is the active ingredient in the Mary Kay products and see what you can find with the same active ingredient. I can reach my upper back but not the middle. You could do the toner where you can reach (which is good for most summer styles).
I had backne then I started to use 13, it is a soap at Lush - I just use it on my back with a back washer loufa thingie - I only have to use it a few times a week now a days it's quite nice :) The rest of the time I just use their Dream Cream or Turkish Delight products. www.lushusa.com
One of my teens has the same problem. Dial soap helps a lot. (i get a few pimples on my face if use others) Also, if you are using conditioner, it makes it worse. The conditioner runs down your back and clogs the pours. (if you need conditioner, i would wash leaning over the tub so that it never runs on your back) If you can have someone use alcohol on cotton, it may help dry it out. Sun helps to clear up skin also... although i know that is not a healthy option.
Yes, watch the conditioner running down your back.
I would get a loofah on a stick. My husband had backne and we started using Dr. Bronner's soap with a loofah sponge. He washes his back with the loofah and that has helped a lot! He scrubs it and it unclogs the pores.
I also stopped using fabric softener. My husband sweats on his back and we started thinking that the fabric softener from his clothes was getting on his back as well and clogging the pores. I now use a vinegar rinse and an all-natural laundry detergent.
You could try a facial mask on your back as well! There are some neat recipes for masks on the internet that use ingredients you probably have at home already.
If you can't get someone to apply the blemish toner I would suggest a cotton ball and a clothespin. I broke out in a bad allergic rash once and it was all over my back. I was itching so bad and I lived alone and I needed to put the medicine on my back so I used a cotton ball and a clothespin! Worked great! Haha, sometimes you just get creative!
You are not alone. Hair conditioner is one of the biggest culprits.
After you conditioner your hair, pull it up if it's long enough. Wash your back with a good face wash with a loofah ( let your loofah dry well between showers and replace on a regular bases). Do not rinse off the soap right away, scrub and let it set for bit.
Mix about 10 drops of tea tree oil into a bottle of witch hazel. You can pour into a spray bottle if you would like. Shake well before using and wipe or spray your back off after you shower.
If you workout, get that shirt off as soon as possible and wipe your back off.
I've found a lotion called Alpha Hydrox that helps as well, I apply that in the morning and make sure it's dry well before getting dressed.
I have to be very careful because if I don't rinse the conditioner I use in my hair off of my back I have the very same problem. I can feel the conditioner sticking to my back. I have found rubbing my back with my hand under the shower helps clear up my acne. Good luck!
Tea tree oil and water spritzed on bed sheets and anywhere else you lay bare backed
at any dollar general or store like target / walmart etc you can buy one of those scrubby things that is attached to a stick. . they work wonders for that problem. I had to get one for my son who was horrified to have a "girl" thing in the shower lol.
I think it ultimately depends on what's causing the acne. You got a lot of good recommendations for cleansers here but I had bacne and no matter how much scrubbing I did it was still there. I ended up taking Accutane back when I was in my 20's and while there may be a lot of opinions and controversy around it, it was a miracle for me. My acne came from within, face and back. I get so many comments now on how good my skin looks and think to myself "if you only knew." I have pictures of me as a teen and you can see scars on my shoulders and back...ugh! I definitely agree it's not for everyone but that's why you talk with your doctor. And most of the negative comments are from people who never took it. I am living proof it works!
