A few months ago, I put together a database of life hacks that models, actresses, and the everyday beautiful person uses to be attractive. It was arduous and took hours of research to put together this manifesto of hotness.
I don’t know why I decided to do a part two. This watered-down, more simplified version also took hours (admittedly, less hours, but hours nonetheless), and I will be putting myself to sleep immediately after I share what I have learned.
In the past few months, while my face has gotten consistently less problematic, I have much more noticeable acne on my back and chest. Granted, no one really sees the “bacne,” and I have never felt like the boob-appreciators in my office spend their conversations with me ogling my chest, but if you were to casually look down from my face in a conversation or catch me in a blouse that is loose-fitting around my shoulders, you’d see little breakouts or big red marks. It’s unbecoming and quite frankly, at twenty-five, embarrassing. I’m a relatively clean person (I’m known to occasionally leave dirty laundry on the floor), and for my skin to show something other than what I want to present makes me feel so insecure.
Thus commencing a deep-dive into what Google has to say about “bacne” and “chestne” (yes, even the terminology sounds gross). I found about thirteen articles (I didn’t even plan for it to be thirteen, my favorite number, but I guess I got lucky) detailing what will help with this problem. I condensed all thirteen articles into one top ten list, based on the items I saw in almost every single list.
Do you have acne in places only you can see, like me? Try out these ten tips and see if they help!
1. Shower after a workout (or at least wipe yourself down if you can’t immediately shower, and rinse when you get home. I live about ~300 steps from my gym, so I shower after my morning workout. That said, after a 30-minute treadmill walk at work, I regularly just change back into my work clothes and get back to my desk. I should wipe down more post-treadmill walk.
2. Use a fragrance free, benzoyl peroxide cleanser with salicylic acid. The generic scented soap you’re using? Chuck it. Benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria that causes acne, and salicylic acid, which exfoliates the skin.
3. Exfoliate twice a week. Use a chemical exfoliate, as physical ones can be a bit abrasive. A gentle scrub will slough off dead skin cells, which can clog pores and cause breakouts.
4. Keep your hair off your back. All those heavy mask products and conditioners can stay on your neck, shoulders and back, clogging your pores. Thankfully, my hair falls at the nape of my neck and I don’t want it to get much longer than that this year, but I did notice I poured out a big dose of conditioner today, suitable for a person with much longer hair than me. I think I could halve the conditioner I’ve been using!
5. Avoid tight fitting clothing and straps (like backpacks, handbags, and bra straps). I have noticed, for the past year, angry red marks on my shoulders and across my ribs when I take my bra off at the end of the day, and I don’t know what to make of it. At first I thought my bras were too tight, but they slide down my body every day, so I think I just need better bras. I also would love to spend this season in loose flowing shirts so my body wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable in every way!
6. Choose the right sunscreen (avoid oily products). I don’t put sunscreen anywhere except my face most days; when I leave for a day at Disney in the summer, I use a skincare-approved sunscreen. I don’t worry too much about this one! That said, the sun can darken your skin, including acne scars. So keep that in mind the next time you slather on SPF 5 tanning oil instead of sunscreen!
7. Use a medicated spray on hard-to-reach places. Have a spot in a place you can’t reach? Grab a spray and spray behind your back. No matter what, you will HIT your spot with the spray. This probably works, but I won’t be buying one. I saw spot treatments recommended a few times (re: three bad spots vs. a back full of breakouts), and Aaron has applied them on me a few times where I can’t reach. If you don’t have someone who loves you enough to put on your hard-to-reach pimples, then yes, absolutely get a spray.
8. Avoid hyper-glycemic foods. White rice? Milk? White sugar? White flour? GET IT OUTTA THERE. Added sugars and dairy can trigger certain hormones, causing breakouts. Wow, eating healthy to have better skin? Improving inside to help your outside get better?
9. STOP. PICKING. Your fingers are disgusting and your chest and back skin scar easily. LEAVE IT ALONE.
10. When all else fails, talk to a doctor. A dermatologist can provide you with oral medication, prescription medication, and even stronger medications like a birth control or Accutane. Try the first steps first, because this shouldn’t be your first step!
Here are the sources I used, where you can find these tips in depth, as well as other tips and recommended products:
1. How to Prevent and Treat Chest Acne Fast
2. How to Get Rid of Bacne: 8 Bacne Products from Dermatologists
3. How to Get Rid of Chest Acne
4. Chest Acne: What Causes it and How to Get Rid of It
5. Why You’re Getting Acne on Your Chest and What You Can Do to Get Rid of It
6. How to Get Rid of Back Acne
7. Back Acne: How to See Clearer Skin
8. How to Get Rid of Back Acne
9. How to Treat Back Acne and Body Acne
10. How to Get Rid of Bacne – 15 Dermatologist Approved Tips
11. How to Treat Back Acne
12. How to Get Rid of Back Acne As Approved by Pro Dermatologists
13. These Body Acne Products Will Get Rid of Back and Chest Acne Forever
Here’s hoping that, by following these steps, I will have skin so clear that people will wonder how I got an Instagram filter to flatter me in real life.