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Back to Skin 101 - Skincare advice

Bacne: How to get rid of it, and stop it returning

People of all ages can be affected by acne but it is often common among teenagers when there’s a swing in hormones. It doesn’t solely affect the face and in many cases occurs on the body too, particularly the chest, shoulders and back, which can be equally damaging to confidence. The root cause is when sebum production – an oil essential for healthy and happy skin – overworks itself building up excess levels in your skin follicles. This attracts bacteria and the pores become blocked, et voila, we have an acne breakout.

The mantra that you are what you eat goes a long way in treating skin issues. Keeping hydrated with plenty of water, reducing your sugary food intake and increasing the amount of anti-inflammatories in your diet – like leafy greens, tomatoes and fish – will give you an advantage.

In treating acne directly, choose a cleansing gel that works two-fold: focusing both on exfoliation and fighting bacteria. Though this seems simple enough, the issue is accounting for skin sensitivity in the process.

So here’s what you need to tackle acne whilst being kind and caring to skin.

EXFOLIATION: Salicylic acid and LHA

Lauded as a true skin saviour, salicylic acid is a lipophilic which penetrates deep into pores flushing out clogged dirt and bacteria, and supports the skin’s lipid layer in minimising water loss thus, preventing dehydration. It also softens and breaks apart dead skin cells, exfoliating the epidermis and revealing fresh new skin beneath.

FIGHTING BACTERIA: Zinc

Zinc helps to regulate excess sebum levels, prevents oil build up with an anti-bacterial effect. It’s also able to calm reactive, acne-prone skin.

TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS OR BATHS

And with warm not hot water, will keep skin well prepped for cleansing, as will using antibacterial body brushes/ sponges. These really can become a playground for germs if not cared for but are still a good idea for your back as the skin there is around 5 x thicker than it is on your face.