No One Talks About It, But Everyone’s Dealing With Butt Acne. Here’s What To Do About It

Butt Acne treatment

Discussions around butt acne are often done in hushed tones with the people you trust the most. We do not vibe with that because skin issues should not be ignored because of societal taboos, whether your bum or your back. FYI, acne on your behind isn’t actually acne! It is just another form of folliculitis caused by inflammation of hair follicles and presents itself as acne. Bum breakouts usually look like inflamed whiteheads that are itchy and painful. If left untreated, they can get infected further and even leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation marks (PIH). Now is that really worth not talking about it? So let’s do it!

Butt Acne Causes

Before we get into the details, let’s look at some of the major causes behind folliculitis on the bum-

1. Tight Clothing

Butt Acne Workout

Your behind is experiencing constant friction throughout the day. Whether you are sitting or out for a morning jog, the constant contact and friction lead to irritation of the hair follicles and subsequent breakouts.

2. Hormonal Breakouts

While most butt acne is folliculitis, some can actually be acne when they are hormonal. Hormonal pimples present themselves as pustules and should be addressed by an expert. Topical tretinoin and some form of medication may be required to treat the bum’s hormonal breakouts.

3. Diet And Lifestyle

Butt Acne Dairy

Inflammation in your body can be caused by several reasons, diet and lifestyle included. Body acne has been triggered by dairy and foods with a high glycemic index (salt).

4. Excessive Sweating

Excessive sweating leads to oil, dirt and dead skin cells getting trapped in hair follicles, causing inflammation and breakouts. This is especially a challenge if your butt area tends to sweat a lot.

5. Bacterial/Fungal Infections

Folliculitis on the bum can be either bacterial or fungal in nature. While bacterial breakouts can be treated with topical clindamycin, Garth fundal folliculitis can be easily stumped with your ketoconazole dandruff shampoo!

Butt Acne Solutions

Now that you have some clarity on the causes of butt acne, here are some of the treatment options you can consider:

1. Use A Benzoyl Peroxide Wash

Your best defence against any kind of body acne is a benzoyl peroxide wash. The inherent exfoliating properties are crucial in fighting acne-causing bacteria and stopping infection in its path. Use a BP wash on your whole booty twice a week; make sure to not overdo it as it can be quite drying for your skin.

2. Maintain Workout Hygiene

Since trapped sweat and bacteria trigger body acne, you need to find ways to avoid these pimple-inducing situations. This is especially true for people who like to work a lot. You need to immediately change out of your sweaty gym clothes and wash the area prone to breakouts. Do not stew in sweat in your yoga pants.

3. Exfoliate Mindfully

 

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Your bum needs exfoliation, BUT not in the form of scrubbing. Yes, we cannot stress this enough – do not scrub your booty pimples! Include AHAs (glycolic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid) in your body care routine. These chemical exfoliators gently slough off dead skin cells and stop them from getting trapped in hair follicles. Plus, it keeps your bum bump-free from ingrowth and smoothens out the skin texture as well.

4. Let Your Bum Breathe

Allow your butt skin a break from tight clothing and let the skin breathe. Opt for loose fitted lowers and maybe “go commando” when you hit snooze at night. Try to cut down on the amount of friction your bum receives daily.

5. Keep Your Bum Moisturised

 

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Last but not least, maintain an optimum hydration level in your butt skin. Dry skin leads to irritation and inflammation, but a thorough and regular body moisturising routine will also help manage breakouts. The soft, plump skin that comes with ain’t too shabby either!

Photos: Instagram/Pexels

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