Somehow my husband convinced me to train with him to run a 10K. Although I’ve exercised regularly in the past, with the summer heat and humidity quickly becoming unbearable, I started battling clogged pores on my chest and back as a result.
No matter how quickly I rinsed off post-workout, the bumps just kept getting worse. (I might even go so far as to call them cystic at times. Oof.) And over-the-counter and prescription products weren’t making a dent. So when a friend mentioned an expensive spray that cured her back acne (or “bacne” for short), I jumped at the chance to make my own.
If you, too, are wondering how to get rid of back acne in time for bathing suit season, rest easy. With a couple lifestyle changes and some ingredients from your pantry, you can calm the bumps and leave irritated skin feeling soft and hydrated.
How to get rid of back acne
Bacne is a stubborn beast. Once irritation sets in, clogged pores and dry skin can make breakouts worse, which is why you need something that sloughs away flakes and grime without further irritating your skin. I thought of making a back scrub to get rid of my back acne, but the logistics always throw me for a loop: how, exactly, am I supposed to apply it?
Instead of struggling with that brain teaser, I went the easy route and made an exfoliating spray. Just spritz it on hard-to-reach areas and let ingredients like apple cider vinegar, essential oils, lemon juice and salicylic acid naturally exfoliate for you.
Acne Body Spray Ingredients
Salicylic acid penetrates skin to shrink bumps and clear pores while soothing and calming inflammation. Apple cider vinegar is astringent and disinfecting, a double whammy for acne. Plus it’s loaded with healthy bacteria that help reduce swelling and calm irritation.
Tea tree and lavender essential oils are anti-inflammatory, soothing, calming, and anti-bacterial. And lemon juice rounds it out to give this spray a fresh, clean scent and encourage cell turnover.
More ways to banish bacne
More ways to banish bacneJust remember that on top of using this spray, you should also look to see if your daily habits could be exacerbating the problem. Acne has a lot of different causes, but clean eating can go a long way toward healing your skin. Avoid inflammatory foods like refined grains, milk, and junk food. Then do everything you can to keep skin clean and bacteria at bay, like:
- Ditching backpacks, purses and anything else that might irritate your back and swap them out for something more comfortable.
- Taking a break from shirts made with synthetic materials. Synthetic fibers, like polyester, don’t let your skin breathe so sweat and oils build up over time.
- Washing your sheets at least once a week since they’re prone to absorb dirt and act as a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Once you’ve gotten your lifestyle in check, you should see quick changes by adding a topical spray for back acne into the mix.
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
DIY Exfoliating Back Acne Body Spray
Equipment
- 16 ounce spray bottle
Materials
- 1 cup filtered water
- 4 adult aspirin tablets crushed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt for needed minerals
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil
Instructions
- Pour the water in a small bowl and microwave on high for 60 seconds.
- Add the crushed aspirin and sea salt to the warm water and stir until dissolved.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir again. Pour into a spray bottle.
I think this recipe would be great for a foot spray as well.
Lovely bottle! Where can I find it?