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Get that clean, clear skin you've always wanted.
By Aly Walansky — Written on Oct 25, 2018
While it may really gross us out to consider, pimples can appear on any part of your body, including your back. Of course, it's harder to deal with it there because we don't always see the beginnings of a breakout and it's harder to reach once we do.
A lot of things can lead to back breakouts, but it's basically the same reason we break out on our face. This can include the sweat and dirt that drips down your skin after a workout, or tight clothing that can trap dirt and sweat and rub it into your pores.
Clogged pores on your back can also happen if you have long hair depositing dirt and oils on your back, or even from hair products sliding down your neck and clogging your pores as you shower!
No matter how it happens, we want it gone. So, is there a method or solution for how to get rid of back acne? Well, these products are a great way to start.
Under $20
1. Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Mask
This leave-on mask is clinically proven to reduce the size and redness of current breakouts in just four hours. The gel formula, with benzoyl peroxide acne medicine, vanishes instantly into skin, allowing the acne medicine to absorb deep down, killing acne-causing bacteria to fight both your current stubborn acne and the acne forming under the surface of your skin.
(Walmart, $11)
2. St. Ives Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Face Scrub
This face scrub helps unclogs pores and contains 1 percent salicylic acid, which helps to clear blackheads and calm redness, and is made with 100 percent natural exfoliants.
(Amazon)
3. Tea Tree and Vitamin E Antiseptic Cream
This soothing, deep-moisturizing cream blends Tea Tree (5 percent) with Vitamin E (3,000 IU) and other synergistic herbs, vitamins and natural oils to comfort skin from a wide variety of conditions from blemishes and fungal issues to dryness and dermatitis.
(Dermae, $14.95)
4. AcneFree Body Clearing Acne Treatment Spray for Body and Back Acne
AcneFree's Body Clearing Spray is formulated with 2 percent Salicylic Acid for a treatment that attacks acne, and can be sprayed anywhere you may be dealing with breakouts.
(Amazon)
5. Neutrogena Body Clear Acne Body Wash with Glycerin
This body wash is great to help fight breakouts on your back, chest, and shoulders. The gentle body wash formula contains a proven acne-fighting ingredient, salicylic acid, which is used to treat and help prevent breakouts.
(Amazon)
6. Differin Gel
Differin Gel is powered by the first and only prescription-strength retinoid you can get in stores without a prescription. It’s ideal for those with mild to moderate acne and works by clearing breakouts where they start (deep in the pores) and prevents new acne from forming, which ultimately restores skin’s tone and texture.
(Amazon)
7. Differin Daily Deep Cleanser
Differin Daily Deep Cleanser delivers the efficacy of maximum-strength benzoyl peroxide, but with less irritation and dryness. The formula is ideal for those seeking a deep, powerful cleanse that won’t strip their skin. It contains 5 percent benzoyl peroxide, which is just as effective as 10 percent benzoyl peroxide.
(Amazon)
8. SheaMoisture African Black Soap & Bamboo Charcoal Scrub
Bamboo Charcoal absorbs oil and impurities to help detoxify and purify skin, and is great to keep in your shower for any time your skin is feeling irritated or a breakout is going on.
(Amazon)
9. The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
Solubilized Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate is an advanced retinoid that delivers better anti-aging results with less irritation than other non-prescription retinoids. It contains pure retinol in a protective capsule system for sustained delivery over time.
(Amazon)
10. Dove Gentle Exfoliating Bar
Dove Gentle Exfoliating Beauty Bar contains exfoliating beads that gently wash away dead skin. This beauty bar provides you with gentle skin exfoliation, washing away dirt and dead skin to leave your skin feeling beautiful and revitalized.
(Target, $9.30)
11. Bioré Pore Penetrating Charcoal Bar
Bioré Pore Penetrating Charcoal Bar draws out and binds to deep-down dirt and oil for 2.5 times cleaner pores. Infused with jojoba beads and peppermint, this bar gently exfoliates and leaves skin feeling tingly smooth.
(Ulta, $7.99)
12. Mario Badescu A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap
A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap is enriched with fresh fruit extracts to exfoliate and cleanse the skin. Papaya and grapefruit extracts help breakdown dead skin cells to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. Ginseng extract rejuvenates while oat protein soothes sensitive and irritated areas.
(Amazon)
13. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Night Cleansing Pads
Neutrogena acne treatment pads are especially formulated for acne-prone skin and are oil-free and non-comedogenic, so they won’t clog pores. It's formulated with powerful Microclear Technology, which is scientifically shown to boost delivery of salicylic acid acne medicine to the source of breakouts.
(Amazon)
Over $20
14. Replenix Acne Solutions Gly/Sal 10-2 Acne Body Spray
Replenix Gly/Sal 10-2 Acne Body Spray is specially formulated to unclog pores and accelerate the removal of dead skin cells that can interfere with the proper oil drainage of the skin. It eliminates acne-causing bacteria, unclogs pores and controls excess oil production.
(Amazon)
15. Skinfix Foaming Clay Cleanser
The mineral-rich Healthy Skin Clay Complex, which is a special blend of Canadian Glacier and Brazilian Volcanic clays, gently absorbs dirt, makeup and impurities from the skin. Concentrated Aloe Vera and Sugar Beet Extracts are powerful humectants that provide moisturization by helping skin maintain proper water balance.
(Ulta, $22)
16. AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Body Exfoliator
This body exfoliator gently removes dead cells and cleanses skin, stimulating skin renewal. It's made with all-natural red seaweed granules.
(Ahava, $25)
17. Murad Acne Clarifying Body Spray
A 360 degree acne treatment spray that works at any angle to fight breakouts wherever they occur. This product contains salicylic acid, which penetrates pores to help clear up acne and prevent new acne from forming, while menthol cools and comforts irritated skin for an overall soothing effect, and blue lotus extract purifies pores.
(Sephora, $40)
18. Proactiv Deep Cleansing Body Brush
The Proactiv Body Brush is a problem area cleansing device that can be used as your everyday skin clarifying tool for clogged, congested pores in those hard-to-reach areas. It's developed with super-soft silicone bristles that not only give your skin a squeaky-clean finish, but also can be used with products designed for acne-prone skin.
(Proactiv, $30)
19. Golden Door Hinoki Pacific Salt Body Scrub
Dead Sea and ocean salts meticulously exfoliate, cleanse, and detoxify. Essential oils, vitamins, minerals, and nourishing oils moisturize, soothe, and condition the skin leaving it radiant and silky soft. Rich in Vitamins like A, B1,B2, B3, E, and the minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorus this blend is a natural moisturizer that helps maintain the skin’s moisture level.
(Amazon)
20. Savor Beauty Tea Tree Toning Mist
This tea tree toning mist helps reduce acne and blemishes for oily and acne-prone skin, especially for hard-to-reach areas like your back.
(Neiman Marcus, $34)
21. Bollywood Mask from Belle Bar
Charcoal absorbs the excessive oil along with the dirt from the skin. Activated charcoal is known to be highly beneficial in the treatment of acne. It not only aids the removal of toxins but also removes skin impurities, thus helping in the treatment of acne and creating flawless skin.
(Belle Bar Organic, $25 for 3 masks)
Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.
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