With the hot summer weather here to stay, this could be causing many to suffer with spots on the back and body.
Even if you’ve never suffered before, Bacne, aka back acne, and body acne can appear from nowhere.
Nada Ward, founder of active ingredient body bar brand Beauty Kin, shares how to understand and treat bacne.
“Acne is a very common, inflammatory skin condition that can and does occur all over the body. The skin is covered in sebaceous glands, which secrete oil or sebum to stop the skin from drying out. These oil glands are connected to hair follicles, lined by skin cells called keratinocytes. In healthy skin, the sebum emerges from the pore on to the surface of the skin and the keratinocytes come to the surface and are shed.”
“Acne occurs when sebum, hair and keratinocytes get stuck in the pore. Therefore, the keratinocytes don’t get shed and the sebum doesn’t reach the surface of the skin. The combination of skin cells and oil means that bacteria that usually inhabits the surface of the skin grows in the follicles and causes redness and inflammation. As the clogged follicle breaks down, the sebum, keratinocytes and bacteria are released into the surrounding skin, causing spots and lesions.” Nada explains.
While the term ‘bacne’ isn’t considered an official word, it has been in popular use, when referencing back acne since the 1990s.
But what causes bacne?
Bacne is often the result of one or more of the following causes:
- Excess oil production
- Clogged hair follicles
- Bacteria in the pores
- Skin inflammation
- Hormonal changes
- Some medications
“If you’ve ever gone on a sugar or dairy (or both!) binge and then realised that your bacne has returned with a vengeance, it’s almost certainly not a coincidence. There is a growing mound of evidence that suggests that certain foods and diets can exacerbate acne. We know that some foods raise our blood sugar levels quicker than others. The main culprits are sugar, pasta, white bread and white rice.” Nada says.
When blood sugar levels rise rapidly, a hormone called IGF-1 is produced. Excessive amounts of IGF-1 can elevate sebum production and therefore, cause acne.
Nada provides her top tips for preventing bacne:
1) Use an oil-free, non-comedogenic skin cleanser. Comedogenic means ‘to block pores of the skin’ and most soaps contain ingredients that do this. Try Beauty Kin’s Clarifying body bar (RRP £10.95). It’s 100% soap-free and perfectly pH balanced, so your pores stay completely clear.
2) Rinse your back after washing your hair, especially if you have long hair. Many shampoos and conditioners also feature comedogenic ingredients and can trigger blackhead eruptions.
3) Use products with salicylic acid. It is known to shrink pimples, remove dead skin cells and eradicate excess oil by drying the skin.
4) Be careful not to over-exfoliate. Chemical exfoliants are acne-prone skin’s best friend, as they eradicate dead skin
