Acne lesions occur in areas where the skin surface has a greater concentration of
sebaceous glands. The most common sites for acne are, therefore, the face, then the back
and chest. About 40 percent of acne sufferers have body acne; blemishes are more
common on the chest and back. However, acne blemishes may also appear in other parts
of the body, such as your shoulders or your buttocks.

There is no main cause of this type of acne; however, individuals that have active physical
lifestyles tend to suffer more with body acne, due in part to more frequent perspiration.
A simple shower following exercise has been shown to help prevent worsening of the
condition.

External irritants can easily aggravate the lesions; constant exposure to friction from
clothing is one of the reasons that body acne is more difficult to treat than facial acne.
Wearing loose clothing made from natural, breathable fabrics like
cotton and linen is extremely important. If you are experiencing outbreaks on your back
or shoulder it could be something as simple as your backpack or purse strap that is
aggravating your acne. Body acne is often in hard to reach areas of the body, making it
difficult to apply acne medications.

The back is made up of tougher skin with thousands of sebaceous glands that can
produce excess levels of oil, making this area more susceptible to the formation of cysts
and nodules which usually require a longer treatment period to clear.
Since body acne (acne on the chest, back, shoulders and neck) is harder to treat than
facial acne, it requires a longer and more intense treatment regimen to see results.
Take a look at the following tips to prevent body acne.