That’s right - acne can occur nearly everywhere on your body, including your chest area.
While body and chest acne is less common than acne on your face, it is still a nuisance.
In this article, we will cover what causes chest acne, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it so you don’t have to wear those turtle necks all year long...
The skin on your chest is in many ways very similar to the skin on your face.
There are lots of pores, oil production, and excess skin cells sloughing off.
If you don’t normally take the time to wash and exfoliate the chest area, chances are you will encounter a blemish or two on occasion.
Some of the following factors may also play a part in causing chest acne:
Hormones
Fluctuating hormones may increase chest acne in some people. Women may experience a worsening of chest acne on a monthly basis on or before their cycle.
Sweets and high glycemic foods
Sugary and glucose spiking foods may make your skin more prone to acne breakouts or exacerbate existing acne.
Dehydration
When your skin gets dry, it tries to produce more oil to counteract the lack of moisture.
This excess oil ends up being bad news for your pores and increases your breakout risk.
Hitting the gym
Your new 3 day a week gym routine is great, but those new chest breakouts are not.
Exercise can cause excess friction on the chest and cause a lot of sweat buildup.
Don’t quit the gym trips, but be sure to wear comfortable breathable clothing and rinse or wipe off any body sweat right after.
Those handy cleansing wipe packets are your friend post-workout!
Your detergent
If your detergent is full of lots of chemicals and fragrances, your skin may not be a fan of all of them - leading to increased breakouts.
Oil-based beauty products
Products that contain oils may clog the pores on your chest.
Be sure to look for “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” on your product bottles.
Perfumes and fragrances
Spritzing your favorite fragrance on your chest could be irritating your skin, especially if you don’t normally clean off the area at the end of the day.
Try spritzing on your clothes instead of directly on your skin to make your favorite scent last.
Your hair products
If your hair is long enough to reach your chest, that seductive hair flip may actually cause some of your hair products to wind up on your chest area.
Keep track of the pattern of your chest acne outbreaks to see if it correlates with where your hair normally falls.
Opting for less oily hair products or cleansing your chest area regularly could help reduce any acne from hair products.
The acne on your chest area is likely the same kind of acne that you get on your face, and the skin is very similar.
You can attempt a spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, or use your favorite acne cream as you would on your face until it clears.
Tip: If using salicylic acid opt for spot treatment only as slathering on too much over a large surface area could lead to salicylic acid toxicity.
The skin on your chest needs attention too, so don’t forget to follow a cleanser, with an alcohol-free toner, and a moisturizer to help get rid of and prevent outbreaks.
Once you are all cleared up, follow the following tips to prevent outbreaks from occurring in the future.
Shower daily
Even if you are trying to go days without washing your hair, at least take the time to wash off your body to prevent acne outbreaks on your chest.
It is preferable to use warm (not hot) water when showering and then end with a cold rinse to help close your pores.
Medicated body washes
The same salicylic acid that is in your face acne wash can be found in body washes to help clear up and prevent body acne.
Exfoliate all of your skin
Exfoliation is necessary to remove excess dead skin cells that could potentially clog pores and cause breakouts.
Get an exfoliating body scrub or brush and aim for whole body exfoliation about once a week.
Gentle body products
Be sure that all lotions and products that you use are gentle, oil-free, or non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores).
Masks aren’t only for the face
If you are noticing breakouts on your chest, try using your favorite clay or charcoal face mask on the area.
The skin on the chest area is similar to facial skin and may benefit from a little extra TLC.
Check your detergents
Double-check your laundry detergent to make sure it is hypoallergenic.
Your chest area is in contact with your clothes, and thus your detergent, all day.
So if you are sensitive to some of the ingredients it may manifest as increased breakouts.
Choose fabrics wisely
Clothes that are too tight or are made out of fabrics that don’t “breathe” may be setting you up for clogged pores on your chest area.
Cotton is a good option for a loose breathable fabric.
Hydrate
Hydration is not only great for your face, but for the rest of your skin as well.
Adequate hydration will help flush those toxins and keep your skin in tip-top shape.
Our Strut Acne cream may be a helpful addition for severe body acne.
Schedule an Online Consultation with our U.S. licensed physicians today to see if our physician and pharmacist formulated acne cream is right for you.
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