Having a pimple show up on your chin is an annoying blip in your week. But chronic or re-occurring acne on other parts of the body can cause unwanted embarrassment.
Areas on the body that are prone to acne tend to be the back, shoulders, neck, chest – and ok, while we’re listing, the bottom. While body acne is not as talked about as facial acne, it is far from uncommon. Men tend to suffer from body acne more than women because it is often caused by testosterone but don’t be fooled, many women are hiding spots under their clothing too.
What causes body acne:
Hormonal imbalances: rollercoaster hormones can cause acne to crop up in unlikely places. An overdrive of testosterone is a prime spot suspect, which makes men particularly prone to body breakouts. But women don’t get off scot-free; contraception pill related imbalances and stress can cause then to suffer spots on their bod too.
Medications: if you’re on strong medication such as steroids, hiding pimples beneath your clothes could be a side effect.
Clothing: Wrapping up in synthetics and tight fitting clothing doesn’t allow skin to breath. Sweat and oils can get trapped beneath clothing causing bacteria to thrive and pores to become clogged and infected.
Seven tips to getting rid of body acne:
1. Eat better: While chocolate has been de-vilified as prime skin enemy, a healthy diet will go a long way to clearing up your skin. Make sure your diet is filled with good skin foods such as leafy greens, fish, nuts and berries. And always, always drink lots of water.
2. Exercise: getting daily exercise in is great for getting the blood pumping and ridding skin of built-up toxins. A thirty-minute run three times a week is a good place to start.
3. Brush up: Dry body brushing is a beauty pro secret that should be adopted. Brushing for two minutes with a body brush or mitt such as the Miessence Body Brush before showering boosts the lymphatic system, removes toxins from the body and helps buff away pore clogging dead skin cells. Start at your feet and work in sweeping strokes towards your heart. Bonus: this exercise helps reduce cellulite too!
4. Scrub, scrub: If your skin is feeling sensitive or inflamed, swap body brushing for an in-shower scrub. Avoiding any areas of broken skin, gently working a body scrub into the skin with circular strokes helps clear out pores and prevent more breakouts. Botani Spirulina Salt Scrub helps to exfoliate dead skin without leaving the skin dry and taut. Use it two or three times a week to keep skin clear and smooth.
5. Sooth thyself: Stress is a major cause of acne so make time to chill out. Time poor? Make use of the downtime by applying a mask on breakout-prone areas. A clearing facemask such as Miessence Purifying Mineral Mask, which is designed to draw away oils and impurities as well as calm inflamed skin, will keep things under control.
6. Clean and clear: Tea tree oil is antibacterial and great for drying out pimples so use it as a natural spot treatment on stubborn blemishes. If scarring is an issue, enlist organic rosehip oil such as Absolutely Gorgeous Organic Rosehip Oil; contains the essential nutrients needed to help renew and revitalise dull, tired, stressed or damaged skin.
7. Let it breathe: If body acne is an issue for you, stick to natural fabrics such as cotton, particularly on your first layers such as underwear and tee-shirts. Synthetic, man-made fabrics such as acrylic and polyester will trap heat close to skin and cause sweating; not ideal if pimples are an issue.
