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We’re willing to bet that when you break out on your face, you spring into action with pimple patches and acne-targeting skin care galore. You can take a similarly proactive approach to addressing stubborn bacne (a.k.a. back acne). Instead of waiting—and praying—for the blemishes on your back and shoulders to disappear, it's time to build a body care routine that keeps bacne at bay.
Back acne is what it sounds like: breakouts on your back that can show up as blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, cysts, or nodules, Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in Long Island, New York, tells SELF. You might also experience redness, scaliness, itching, irritation, or tenderness in the area. Bacne is something you can get at any age, and it can seemingly appear out of nowhere. “People who have back acne may not have acne anywhere else on the body,” Isha Tiernan, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, tells SELF.
You may get bacne for a number of reasons, but a common culprit is a combo of sweat, bacteria, oil, dirt, and dead skin that builds up and clogs your pores, Amy Huang, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Medical Office of Manhattan in New York, tells SELF. “It’s usually worse with hot weather, excessive sweating, and frequent exercise,” she adds. Other contributors include not hitting the shower right after a workout, wearing tight clothes that don’t let your skin breathe, or failing to properly rinse your shampoo and conditioner off of your skin, according to Dr. Penzi. It might also be due to a factor that’s not totally in your control, like hormonal changes.
Thankfully, making a few simple changes in your routine (say, spritzing your skin after a workout or swapping out your regular body wash) can help zap existing pimples and prevent new breakouts from popping up. We asked dermatologists to recommend the best products for back acne and share their top tips for keeping your skin clear.
- Best Wash: PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash
- Best Brush: V-Top Silicone Body Scrubber
- Best Spray: Dermalogica Clarifying Bacne Spray
- Best Exfoliant: Nécessaire The Body Peel
- Best Cream: Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA
- Pros: Easy to incorporate into your routine, kills bacteria, reduces inflammation
- Cons: Can be drying
This face and body wash tackles breakouts like a pro with benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient that’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and reduces oil, Dr. Penzi says. Benzoyl peroxide can be drying on the skin, but this wash combats that side effect with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and dimethicone. “When I use this, I swear any back acne is gone the next day,” one SELF editor says. Pro tip: Benzoyl peroxide can bleach fabric, so you might want to stick to white towels while you’re using this.
- Pros: Easy to clean, inexpensive, doesn’t irritate skin
- Cons: May not help significant bouts of acne
“Not washing properly after a workout can leave bacteria and sweat on the skin that causes breakouts,” Dr. Penzi says. “Additionally, not properly rinsing hair conditioner off your back can lead to excess oils that clog pores and cause acne.” The right tools can make it easier to suds up hard-to-reach spots on your back.
I bought this silicone brush to help me wash my back better after noticing some scaly red patches starting to crop up after workouts. I lather up my body wash of choice—currently Salt & Stone’s Santal & Vetiver—and use the brush in circular motions all over my back for a deeper clean. Just doing that has made a huge difference!
- Pros: Feels cool on the skin, easy to use, dries quickly
- Cons: Some Amazon reviewers don’t like the scent
Targeting acne in the center of your back can be tough, unless you have some Olympic-level flexibility. That’s where this spray comes in—the fine mist will evenly coat your skin, even when you can’t quite reach. It’s in a non-aerosol bottle, so it can be sprayed upside down to hit tricky areas, according to reviewers. As for the contents, one SELF editor likes that each application feels nice and cool on her skin and dries in less than a minute. “I just spritz it on after every shower and my back stays clear,” she says.
The stars of the show are exfoliating salicylic acid and anti-bacterial tea tree oil, along with anti-inflammatory witch hazel. It also uses Moroccan argan extracts, ingredients that are popular in cosmetics for moisturizing skin and treating acne or other skin ailments, like scars, although more research is needed to confirm their efficacy.
- Pros: Smooths uneven texture, a little goes a long way, reduces skin’s oil production
- Cons: Takes a while to dry, feels sticky
This peel is formulated with salicylic, glycolic, lactic, and mandelic acids that work together to regulate your skin’s sebum production, preventing pore-clogging oils from building up and leading to acne. The combo also exfoliates your skin to help with uneven texture and discoloration—two issues that often coincide with acne.
One SELF editor says the Necessaire body peel feels luxe and delivers on its promises: “I used this on areas where I get body acne, and I noticed a difference in the little bumps and frequency of breakouts, particularly on my back and chest.”
Apply it on its own or mixed with a moisturizer anywhere you’re seeing breakouts and leave it on overnight. It’s a little sticky, so our editor recommends waiting about 20 minutes to let it fully dry down before slipping into your pajamas.
- Pros: Lightweight consistency, also great for keratosis pilaris, dries quickly
- Cons: Some Amazon reviewers don’t like the scent
The internet raves about the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Exfoliant for tackling acne and skin texture concerns. This product features the same star ingredient—salicylic acid—to break up dead skin cells while reducing swelling and redness, but in a silky lotion that’s easy to spread all over your body. It also contains moisturizing vitamin E, soothing chamomile extracts, and anti-inflammatory green tea to make sure your skin stays feeling soft.
Another bonus? It’s multipurpose: “In addition to acne, this light-weight leave-on salicylic acid body treatment can be used to treat bumpy, rough skin associated with keratosis pilaris,” Brendan Camp, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF.
- Pros: Fragrance-free, reduces oil, hydrating
- Cons: Some Amazon reviewers had issues with the pump
“Made with salicylic acid and purifying clay, this cleanser helps remove excess oil and gently exfoliate to treat and prevent back acne,” Dr. Camp says. It also contains niacinamide, an ingredient that offers a slew of benefits, including the ability to brighten, reduce redness, smooth fine lines, and boost hydration. Another key addition to this cleanser is ceramides, lipids that help keep the skin barrier intact to lock moisture in.
Worth noting: This is a nice option for sensitive skin because it leaves out irritants like fragrance.
- Pros: Easy to use, reduces oil on the skin
- Cons: Some Amazon reviewers say the scent is too strong
Dr. Penzi and Dr. Camp both recommend this drugstore body spray for targeting acne on your back. “It contains 2% salicylic acid and 3% glycolic acid to exfoliate and reduce surface oil,” Dr. Camp says. It’s great for breaking up dead skin cells and cleaning out pores, shrinking whiteheads and blackheads and preventing them from returning, Dr. Penzi adds.
Note that this spray isn’t a stand-in when you can’t get to a shower, but is instead meant to be used on clean skin. When you first start using this, apply it once a day after washing (no need to rinse). If needed, you can increase the frequency to up to three times daily—just make sure to wash your skin before each application.
- Pros: Easy to use, kills bacteria from sweat, can be used throughout the day
- Cons: Some Sephora reviewers don’t like the smell
If you think sweaty skin might be the main cause of your acne, try this spray. Dr. Penzi recommends it because it contains hypochlorous acid, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and is gentle enough for sensitive skin types. She recommends spritzing it anywhere you typically break out after you sweat when you can’t get to the shower right away.
Dr. Penzi isn’t Tower 28’s only fan: One SELF editor says she never leaves the house without this mist, especially during the summer. “According to a bunch of people on TikTok who relate to my seasonal struggles, this skin-saving ingredient is a master at banishing sweat-spawned pimples—and after two years of using it myself, I’m happy to confirm that it’s my secret weapon for keeping blemishes at bay,” she wrote in a review of the product for SELF.
- Pros: Inexpensive, easy to add into your routine, gentle on skin
- Cons: Some Amazon reviewers don’t like the texture
This face cleanser can be used in place of your regular body wash when you have an acne flare-up. It uses micronized benzoyl peroxide—the same star ingredient in some of our other picks, just in smaller particles that research shows can penetrate your skin better. This version is also “thought to be less irritating than traditional benzoyl peroxide formulations,” Dr. Camp says. TL;DR: You get the same exfoliating and acne-fighting benefits, but without the discomfort (sensitive skin club, rejoice).
Other standouts on the ingredient list? Zinc to soothe skin—a nice addition because acne typically brings inflammation and irritation with it—and licorice root to minimize oil that might otherwise clog your pores and cause more breakouts.
Your back acne could be hormonal, bacterial, or both. “Hormonal acne often coincides with hormonal shifts that occur during the menstrual cycle,” Dr. Penzi says. Basically, any time your levels are fluctuating, like during your period, menopause, or postpartum, certain imbalances (like too much testosterone) can cause your skin to produce more pore-clogging sebum. “It tends to affect older females in their 20s to 30s and beyond,” Dr. Penzi adds. Hormonal acne usually responds best to prescription hormone therapies, like birth control pills or spironolactone, Dr. Tiernan says.
“Bacterial acne may be better referred to as folliculitis, which is when a hair follicle becomes inflamed and infected with bacteria,” Dr. Tiernan says. It responds better to treatments that get rid of the bacteria, like topical or oral antibiotics.
The best way to know if your acne is coming from hormones or bacteria is to see your doctor for an exam. But if those bumps tend to pop up while you’re in a hot climate or after regular workouts, that’s a solid indication that your breakouts are from bacteria on the skin.
In addition to using the products on our list, there are a few steps you can take to keep annoying bacne away, according to the experts we spoke with.
- Wear loose clothes: Tight clothing can cause friction that makes acne and irritation worse, Dr. Penzi says. So, when you can, go with loose, breathable options—especially when you know you’ll be sweating a lot, like outdoors on hot days or at the gym.
- Take off sweaty clothes as quickly as you can: “The best way to prevent back acne is to bathe and change out of sweaty athleticwear right after exercising,” Dr. Huang says. If you can’t slip out of your clothes and shower ASAP, that’s when Dr. Penzi recommends using an antimicrobial spray (like Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue) to kill any bacteria that’s still lingering on your skin.
- Choose the right body wash: Dr. Penzi recommends using a non-comedogenic body wash that doesn’t contain pore-clogging oils. “Look for washes with active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and consider using gentle exfoliators intermittently, such as one with glycolic acid, to unclog pores,” she says.
- Try a leave-on treatment: All of the tips above could stop your bacne in its tracks and help prevent new breakouts. But it can’t hurt to apply a spray, cream, or serum that’ll continue to exfoliate and unclog your pores well after you shower (unless you’re sensitive to these products, of course). To avoid irritating your skin, it’s a good idea to only use one active ingredient at a time. So while you’re using a leave-on treatment with exfoliants like salicylic acid, try a gentle body wash that doesn’t contain any other actives.
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