Today, we’re going to be talking about butt acne – the thing everyone wants to discuss! Seriously though, for many people the butt acne struggle is real, causing daily physical and emotional discomfort and distress.
Feel confident about your butt again by reading on to find out how you can curb the problem and live confidently and acne-free.
What is butt acne and is it common?
If you’re concerned you’re on your own, don’t be. Butt acne is highly common, it’s just most of us steer clear of discussing it with the people in our lives who don’t see us naked every day!
One thing we should highlight at this point is the kind of acne you get on your butt, isn’t actually the same type as the kind you can develop across the face – it’s known as folliculitis, an inflammation of the hair follicles.
Whilst acne is defined as having white and blackheads, folliculitis on your butt manifests itself as a red pimple, with a hair at the centre.
What causes butt acne?
Butt acne tends to strike most during the summer months, which frustratingly, is the time you want to be showing off that peachy derrière!
Sweaty clothes and wet swimming gear are common catalysts that set off butt acne, along with friction from doing exercises like sit-ups and yoga. This said, there are ways to curb it – let’s take a look at how to attack that butt acne!
Chemical peel
Chemical peels are a jack of all trades when it comes to your skin, encouraging the shedding of old and tired skin, to make way for a fresh and healthy layer.
A professional chemical peel carried out by an experienced dermatologist can yield immediate results in people with mild to moderate butt acne (results can take between 3-6 sessions to show in those who are severe sufferers) and reduce scarring and blemishes too. What’s more, chemical peels trigger collagen production, giving you a supple-looking booty!
Try a benzoyl peroxide wash
Using a cleanser containing a high percentage of benzoyl peroxide helps to eradicate the type of bacteria on the skin that leads to folliculitis. You should leave the cleaner on for around 3 minutes, long enough to let it do its thing and then rinse it off using water.
La Roche Posay and OxeDerm are both excellent brands and contain 10% benzoyl peroxide, deemed to be a good concentration of this substance within a cleanser.
Choose your workout clothes wisely
Remember earlier, we mentioned friction being no friend to your butt? It’s possible to minimise this by choosing the right workout clothes and making sure you invest in a chunky gym matt – this will also stop you from running the risk of developing pilonidal cysts.
Choose loose-fitting clothes when you hit the yoga matt, as they stop sweat and oil from becoming trapped against your butt.
Be sure to change out of your gym clothes ASAP after your workout to stop any lingering bacteria from irritating your skin.
Author: Lucy Walker
Lucy is a journalist and writer involved in the health and beauty sector since 2014.
