Back acne or "Bacne" can be very frustrating to contend with. I would get emails from readers all the time saying that they've finally cleared up the acne on their face but are still fighting to get rid of stubborn body acne. Most common body acne occurs on the back, shoulders, neck and buttocks but it isn't limited to any particular region.

My body acne would prevent me from wearing cute tops during the summer and the thought of sitting poolside in a swimsuit just brought on anxiety. So how did I stop the breakouts?

Exfoliation
While you're in the shower, exfoliate using a lufa where acne breakouts occur. By exfoliating, you'll remove excess dead skin cells that can contribute to clogged pores. Be gentle during the exfoliating process. If you're new to this, you can easily irritate your skin.

Hygiene
Shower right after the gym or a workout. Hanging out in sweaty clothes will increase breakouts. The reason behind this is simple. When you sweat, bacteria is drawn to your perspiration. This creates the odor from sweating. The additional bacteria on top of acne bacteria creates a "crowded" situation in your pores. It increases the likelihood of clogged follicles. Runners often experience body acne for this reason. Remember, after a workout, wipe away all excess perspiration and shower as soon as possible.

Use Antibacterial Soap
I don't recommend using antibacterial soap on your face. However, for back and body acne sufferers, this can be the key ingredient to ending the breakouts. Antibacterial has a drying effect and will dry up the excess oil and sweat that can accumulate on your body. I used to carry a heavy packback on my shoulders and the rubbing would cause sweating which led to breakouts. By switching to antibacterial soap, I ended the breakouts for good.

Avoid Tight Clothing
If you're prone to back acne or general body acne, avoid tight fitting clothes until you get your skin under control. You want to keep the broken out areas aerated. Oxygen is a powerful ingredient for clearing up pimples. It clears the clogged pores and begins the healing process.

Moisterize
As a woman, I want to avoid dry skin whenever possible. With all of these treatments listed above, you'll want to use an oil-free moisterizer to prevent getting "crocidile skin". Men should use a moisterizer as well. You don't want to overdry. Overdrying will cause irritation which leads to future breakouts.

Medicine
If your skin reacts poorly to antibacterial soap (it irritates you or overdrys), you'll want to look into buying a medicated body soap. Neutrogena body wash contains salicylic acid. I'm partial to glycerin (as in Cetaphil) for its moisterizing benefit when it comes to facial acne but salicylic acid works much better for body acne.