Body acne can be tough to treat, since only the double-jointed among us can easily apply a cream to their left shoulder blade. (And don't even get us started on the difficulties of treating butt acne without the formula rubbing off on clothes as you sit through yet another Zoom meeting.) The acne on your face seems like child's play in comparison—more visible, sure, but at least you can reach it.

Yet body acne can be impossible to avoid, especially in the summer. Heat and sweat converge to clog pores all over your body, though breakouts tend to appear most on your chest, back, and butt—basically, anywhere that a sweat stain might appear on your clothes. (Similar to maskne, but everywhere.) And while some of it can be blamed on sweat alone, there's more to it than that.

What causes body acne?

“The first step to treating body acne is to figure out the reason you are breaking out," says Marina Peredo, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. “These reasons could be hormonal, lifestyle, or just genetics.” Of these contributors, your lifestyle is the only one you can really control, so it's best to start there.

First, scope out your workout habits. “When you don’t shower right after working out or sweating, the sweat can cause bacteria to build up on your skin, leading to breakouts,” Peredo says. “You should make sure to wear cotton athleticwear, which won’t trap in sweat, shower after working out, and apply a topical cream to treat the acne.”

Your hair routine can also contribute—and in more ways than you might think. The most obvious culprit here are your hair products. “If you are using heavier leave-in products like conditioner, pomades, and oils, you may notice that you are breaking out along your hairline, upper back, and neck area,” says Peredo. These tend to be thicker and more occlusive, and thus more likely to plug up a pore. But not washing your hair isn't exactly a solution, either. “Washing your hair less can cause the scalp to produce more oil, which can also clog pores and cause breakouts,” she says.

However, if you already go straight from a post-run stretch to your shower and have eliminated your hair routine as a culprit, then genetics or hormones can be the cause (for the latter, hormonal breakouts on your face are a tip-off). Indeed, “oily skin is genetic and typically involves the entire body,” says New York dermatologist Michelle Henry, M.D. “If someone has very severe facial acne, then they are more likely to have body acne.”

In that case, “you may want to treat acne with an over-the-counter ointment,” says Peredo. “If that doesn’t help, you should see your dermatologist, who will be able to recommend a prescription topical or oral treatment.” She's also a fan of the Hydrafacial, which can be performed on your body—and even your scalp—as well as your face.

The best body acne treatments to get rid of breakouts

Not all body acne will clear up at the same pace—or respond to the same treatment. “The closer to your face, the easier the acne is to treat," says Peredo. “For example, the acne on your chest and upper back will be easier to get rid of than on your lower back and buttocks.” It's a matter of physiology. Because the lower half of the body has relatively slower circulation (plus larger surface areas), acne there is slower to heal.

Then there are a few primary ingredients to choose from. While benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the most common ingredients for fighting acne on your body and face alike, there are differences between the two. “If you have sensitive skin, salicylic acid is a better choice since it is better tolerated than benzoyl peroxide," Peredo says. “Benzoyl peroxide is best suited for people with normal and less sensitive skin.” However, salicylic acid is still an exfoliant, and may not be doable if your skin is really reactive or sensitive. If that's indeed the case, consider sodium hypochlorite, which is safe enough for all skin types, even those prone to eczema.

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