Butt Acne Happens To Us All, And Here's How To Finally Get Rid Of It
Not all beauty problems are glamorous.
With it being “gym season” for some of us, it's time to address all the skin dilemmas that go hand-in-hand with working out. Namely, body acne.
Every dermatologist and esthetician I've ever spoken to assures me the surefire way to combat blemishes on my back and shoulders post-workout is removing my sweaty workout gear and hopping in the shower the moment I'm done.
As gross as it sounds, there's something even worse than the cystic pimple on your shoulder blade. It's called the butt pimple.
Butt acne — or buttne, as I've charmingly dubbed it — is what happens when your ass decides it hates you. Like an angry teenager, it rebels by covering itself in inflamed pimples.
I'd rather die a thousand deaths than have my ass be anything short of perfection. So, I reached out to dermatologist Dr. Audrey Kunin, founder of DERMAdoctor, and Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, founder and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care, for some expert guidance.
It's all thanks to your workout clothes.
Your workouts might be giving you butt pimples, as if you needed another reason to ditch the gym after work tonight.
It's not the squats that are f*cking up your derriere, though. Kunin cites friction and the sweat that accumulates in your spandex workout gear as triggers for buttne.
There you go, now you can ditch Equinox for the next six months.
Make salicylic acid your BFF.
Your best bet to treating rear-end acne is by tackling it the same way you would facial zits. Tanzi recommends using a two percent salicylic acid cleanser to keep the blemishes at bay.
Kunin also suggests trying benzoyl peroxide-based cleansers, like DERMAdoctor's Ain't Misbehavin' Medicated AHA/BHA Acne Cleanser.
The one thing you should strive to avoid? Vitamin A creams.
“They can be quite drying and irritating,” Kunin cautions.
DERMAdoctor Ain't Misbehavin' Medicated AHA/BHA Acne Cleanser, $30, Sephora
Swap out your body wash.
Say bye-bye to your basic b*tch body coconut scrub and upgrade to a salicylic acid wash.
Plain Jane body wash might not be a direct culprit behind your acne, but it can further irritate your skin because of its high fragrance content and now-banned microbeads.
"Swap out your body wash for an anti-acne body scrub with 2 percent salicylic acid,” Tanzi suggests. “Use it on the chest, back and butt to reduce acne and clear up any discoloration from past breakouts."
When in doubt, try Neutrogena's all-star Body Clear Body Wash.
Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash, $17, Amazon
Ditch the ultra-tight leggings.
Let your skin breathe. Ensure that your clothing, whether it's workout pants or skinny jeans, isn't causing friction.
Either opt for loose-fitting clothing or more breathable materials, like linen and cotton.
If you're working out, stick to a moisture wicking fabric like lycra or a poly-blend. They're designed to take the moisture build-up and transfer it to the exterior of the garment.
It's a win-win. Less sweat for you, plus less of an opportunity of butt pimples (bimples? Is that better?) to appear.
Don't be the butt of anyone's joke when bikini season comes around.
