Body acne occurring most commonly on the back and chest is an even more troubling issue as compared to face acne. It often gets neglected as people focus more on facial concerns.
Chest and back acne can be more difficult to deal with because the skin in the back and chest area is thicker than the facial skin. It is packed with enlarged pores which secrete a higher quantity of sebum. This sebum mixes with sweat, dirt and other impurities and results in acne breakouts on the chest and back.
Using a salicylic acid soap for this can deliver the best targeted solution for these bacne and chest acne. Salicylic acid is an oil soluble beta hydroxy acid which works to chemically exfoliate the impurities deeply from the pores of the skin.
It works by dissolving the bonds of dead skin cells and impurities inside the pores. Using this soap for acne control helps deliver best results by exfoliating the skin and reducing acne on the back and chest regions.
The reason behind back and chest acne
Body acne occurs mainly on the back and the chest and is different from facial acne because it occurs due to different reasons. The skin on the back and the chest is thicker than facial skin. It has a high density of sebaceous glands and enlarged pores which result in more oil production.
The skin is thick in these regions so the skin shedding process slows down and the oil mixes with dead skin cells which could clog the pores of the skin. Sweat accumulation in the body and no passage of air can also clog pores.
Wearing tight and unbreathable clothes can trap the sweat and when rubbed against the skin due to movement it leads to dirt and bacterial growth in the pores. Using heavy creams and oils can often leave residues on the skin and result in clogged pores which leads to acne breakouts.
Salicylic acid as a potent acne clearance agent
Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant which gets derived from willow bark. This powerful beta hydroxy acid has an oil-soluble nature. This allows salicylic acid to cross the oil layers of the skin and reach the pore lining of the skin.
It then performs to clear out the buildup of impurities from the skin. It breaks down the hard plugs of dirt and oil impurities from the skin. It performs a keratolytic action on the skin which helps in dissolving the cellular bonds of dead skin cells and helps in clearing them out of the pores.
This helps in clearing the buildup inside the pores which results in acne and prevents further acne as well.
Salicylic acid helps in dissolving the build up of dead skin cells by breaking their cellular bonds and helps in shedding them from the skin so an even texture could be achieved on the back and chest.
This also helps in preventing the strawberry skin on the back and chest by clearing out acne and clogged pores which helps in improving the texture of the skin.
Salicylic acid delivers an inflammatory action as it is a derivative of aspirin which helps in reducing inflammation, irritation, redness or other irritating factors of acne flare ups. So it is a great incorporation for body acne soap.
Ideal concentration of salicylic acid in soap
A mild concentration of salicylic acid is recommended in your routine use anti-acne soap. The best range of salicylic acid in a soap is 0.5% to 3%. For a beginner, it is advised to stick to the concentration range of 0.5% to 1%.
It is better to adapt to lower concentration first to ensure skin suitability and adapt to it and then change to a higher concentration. For people dealing with persistent back and chest acne or frequent breakouts they can use a soap bar with up to 3% concentration of salicylic acid.
Incorporating salicylic acid in your shower routine
It is advised to use a salicylic acid soap with suitable concentration in your daily shower routine to get rid of acne breakouts and follow a right routine:
- Wash your body with water either cold or lukewarm.
- Take your acne soap in hands and rub it to produce lather.
- Apply this lather to the body, targeting the back and chest areas with acne flare-ups.
- Let the lather sit for about 2 minutes.
- Rinse off with water.
- Pat dry the body with a soft towel.
Hygiene tips to prevent back and chest acne
- Wear breathable and loose clothes.
- Avoid using hot water while showering.
- Take a shower immediately after a workout or sweaty day.
- Apply non comedogenic products only.
- Do not scratch your back or chest acne.
Wrapping up
Salicylic acid is a great anti-acne agent and works well for the skin to deal with acne. So incorporating a salicylic acid soap in daily shower routine is beneficial to get rid of back and chest acne. They are quite stubborn and more persistent so using a soap helps in dealing with these acne flare-ups properly.
