I think we can all agree that the first time you get butt acne is rather peculiar. Tons of questions start circulating through your mind like: “is this supposed to be here?” “How did this get here?” “Should I be alarmed?” And “this is a little bit uncomfortable.” But rest assured, butt acne is completely normal and happens to more people than you think.
Butt acne is credited to stress and “sedentary lifestyle,” one that most of us have been living for almost the past two years due to social distancing and working from home. Because of this, body breakouts and butt acne are actually on the rise. But what exactly is butt acne?
Well, it's actually not acne.
Butt acne is a form of skin irritation called folliculitis, according to board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, M.D. In an interview with Allure, she stated, “Folliculitis occurs when there is irritation of the hair follicles of the skin, creating red bumps that closely resemble acne lesions.” This is usually caused by repeated friction on the area due to wearing underwear that is too tight, accumulating sweat on the area, shaving or waxing, or even sitting in a hot bath for too long. The bumps from Folliculitis are usually painful and itchy, and when extremely irritated can develop into larger cyst-like growths.
to prevent folliculitis from taking form, be sure to immediately shower after doing any strenuous workouts or activities that accumulate sweat on the body.
Be sure to throw your clothes in the laundry immediately after; and even if you haven’t had a strenuous workout, always be sure to shower regularly to make sure you’re removing the dead skin and dirty debris from your body. If you believe that tight underwear can be causing the bumps, then be sure to chuck those garments straight into the trash and purchase some better fitting undies. Be sure to purchase garments made of more breathable material, and always wash clothes, towels and sheets regularly (at least once a week) to ensure that you’re also removing any dirt from those garments as well.
Now, if folliculitis has taken form and it seems like it’s here to stay, here are some ways to treat it and make it disappear.
Be sure to wash the area regularly with a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid cleanser. This will unclog the pores and remove dead skin. It will also prevent new bumps from forming. If after trying this method for some time and it fails to show any improvement, then you may have what is known as fungal folliculitis. As opposed to bacteria folliculitis that can be wiped out with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, fungal folliculitis requires something stronger. For this, try using a dandruff shampoo as a cleanser and let the shampoo sit on the area while you’re in the shower. With repeated use, you’re sure to see improvement.
Now the worst mistake that you can make when dealing with butt acne is to try and scrub it away.
Please refrain from doing this. Scrubbing can actually worsen the inflammation and actually cause hyperpigmentation and scarring. And no one wants that on their bum – especially if warmer weather and summer will soon be approaching. If you’re dealing with hyperpigmentation on your bum be sure to grab a moisturizer rich in lactic acid like AmLactin’s Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion. Also be sure to grab benzoyl peroxide acne spot treatments for those bumps you may need to get rid of with haste.