Zits popping in places other than your face? Spending a lot of time at the gym lately? Congratulations dude, you’re getting fit and body acne at the same time.

You’re right, it’s not sexy and it would probably gross people out when they should be admiring the hard work you’ve put in for those lats. But that’s why we’re here – to save your ass by teaching you how to banish those body acne for good.

 

1. Know the Cause

Working out and sweating a lot give acne the breeding ground it loves – there’s body heat, friction and covered skin. While it’s unthinkable to give up exercising just because your body acne is acting up, you have to remember to keep dry when you can, and stay clean.

 

 

2. Mop the Sweat

Wipe off the sweat from your body while working out with antibacterial wipes or clean towels. Shower immediately after a workout, and if you can’t right away, rub down with rubbing alcohol to remove grease from your skin and prevent breakouts.

 

 

3. Hit the Showers

Chuck those bar soaps and get yourself a men’s body scrub like this Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap by Kiehl’s. It exfoliates the skin and does away with dead skin cells, so you can do this about three times a week. Between those days, consider using a good shower gel like Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash for Clean, Clear Skin to treat and prevent body acne breakouts.

 

 

4. Use Fresh Washcloth

Every time you shower that is, especially if you are prone to breakouts. Here’s the thing: bacteria causes pimples, and they thrive in hot, moist places. If your washcloth has been sitting there in your bathroom – all moist with happy bacteria all over it – and you rub your body and face with the thing, well, you get what happens.

 

 

5. Personal Grooming, Please

While those long locks may give you that rock star vibe, they can also give you body acne. That long, sweaty hair brushing up against your skin causes skin friction, and causes bacne (back acne) and neck acne in turn. So get a good haircut, or find a way to keep that hair off your skin.

 

 

6. Choose the Right Clothing

Avoid getting spandex and synthetic materials for your workout clothes. It doesn’t allow your skin to breathe when you sweat as they tend to trap in moisture and oil — perfect conditions for a breakout. Choose workout clothes that wick away moisture. After your post-workout shower, change clothes. If you don’t, that kind of defeats the purpose of getting a shower in the first place, doesn’t it?

 

 

7. Treat It Today

 

If it’s mild body acne, consider using a good acne spot treatment like MenScience Acne Spot Repair or Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel. You can also use MenScience’s Acne Therapy Lotion for wider coverage and for those hard-to-reach bacne. If nothing else works, consider seeing a dermatologist as you may need prescription-strength treatments.

 

 

8. Change Sheets Regularly

You rub off sweat, dead skin cells and oil while sleeping, and guess where this collects? Yep, your bed linens. If you want that body acne gone, then change sheets at least twice a week. And pick lightweight cotton ones; they don’t trap moisture and are easier on the skin.

 

 

9. Don’t Overdo It

While showering, staying clean and keeping dry can do wonders for body acne, you don’t have to overdo it. If you shower more times a day than necessary, you’ll dry out and strip your skin of oils which may actually cause more breakouts. Also, don’t rub too hard when exfoliating – zits won’t come off that way and you’re just making the inflammation worse.

 

 

10. Don’t Pick, Don’t Pop

Before you give in to the temptation of popping those zits, you might want to know it’s going to worsen the body acne, leave scars,  and you could end up with a nasty skin infection. So whatever you do, keep those hands off the zits.

 

Body acne, unfortunately is a consequence of an intense workout, so deal with it – by following these tips.  Goodbye bacne, hello clear skin.