How To Get Rid Of Back Acne Using Home Remedies

Aloe vera gel possesses natural anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve inflammatory acne (3). It also exhibits anti-acne activity and enhances the effect of other popular acne medications, like tretinoin (4).

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel

What You Have To Do

1. Extract a teaspoon of aloe gel from an aloe vera leaf.
2. Apply it to the affected areas.
3. Leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times daily.

3. Epsom Salt

Epsom salts have excellent anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of magnesium (5). These properties may help reduce acne as well as the redness and inflammation that accompany it.

You Will Need

• 1 cup of Epsom salts
• Water

What You Have To Do

1. Add a cup of Epsom salts to a tub filled with water.
2. Soak in this for a good 20 to 30 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this daily or every alternate day. 

4. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice possesses bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties (6), (7). Hence, it may help in reducing inflammation around the acne-affected area.

You Will Need

• ½ a lemon
• Cotton swabs (optional)

What You Have To Do

1. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon.
2. Soak a cotton swab in it and apply it to your acne lesions.
3. You can also scrub half a lemon directly all over your back.
4. Leave the lemon juice on for about 30 minutes and wash it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily.

5. Vitamin D

Acne-prone individuals may also be deficient in vitamin D (8). Therefore, restoring the levels of this vitamin may help treat the symptoms of acne lesions.

You Will Need

• 1000-4000 mcg of vitamin D

What You Have To Do

1. Consume foods rich in vitamin D, including poultry, meat, eggs, fish, and almonds.
2. You can also take supplements for vitamin D after consulting your physician.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this regularly.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties (9). It may not only reduce acne inflammation but also soothe the lesions.

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• Cotton balls

What You Have To Do

1. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water.
2. Mix well and soak a cotton ball in it.
3. Pat the soaked cotton ball gently all over your back, concentrating on the acne-prone areas.
4. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Rinse it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this multiple times daily. 

7. Baking Soda

Anecdotal evidence suggests that baking soda may help relieve acne. However, there is no scientific evidence in this regard. Baking soda is thought to exfoliate your skin and soothe swelling and redness. It also absorbs excess oil from the skin and may dry out acne and help it heal faster.

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• Water (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Add some water to a tablespoon of baking soda and make a thick paste.
2. Apply an even layer of the baking soda paste to your back.
3. Allow the mixture to dry on your skin for at least 20 minutes.
4. Wash it off your back while gently scrubbing it off your skin.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times daily, but make sure you only scrub once.

8. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids, including lauric acid. Lauric acid exhibits anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that combat Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria responsible for causing acne (10).

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Take a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil in your palms.
2. Massage it evenly on your back before you take a bath.
3. Allow the oil to work for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.
4. You can also consume a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil every morning for added benefits.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once or twice daily.

9. Oatmeal Bath

Oatmeal has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It is a sought-after ingredient in dermatology to treat inflammatory conditions like acne (11), (12).

You Will Need

• 1-2 cups of oatmeal
• Water

What You Have To Do

1. Pour one or two cups of oatmeal in a tub filled with water.
2. Soak in the oatmeal bath for around 20 to 30 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

Taking an oatmeal bath daily can help reduce back acne with time.

10. Vicks VapoRub

Vicks contains many anti-inflammatory compounds like camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil. These compounds treat back acne by reducing inflammation and redness (13), (14).

You Will Need

• Vicks VapoRub

What You Have To Do

1. Apply Vicks VapoRub directly to the affected areas.
2. Reapply as and when required.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this multiple times daily.

Note: Do not apply Vicks VapoRub to broken skin or lesions.

11. Yogurt

Yogurt is rich in probiotics, which are the good bacteria that live in your gut. These can help reduce inflammation within your body and may help treat acne (15).

You Will Need

• 1 bowl of plain yogurt

What You Have To Do

1. Have a bowl of plain yogurt daily.
2. You can also apply yogurt to the affected areas on your back.

How Often You Should Do This

Include yogurt in your daily diet.

12. Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, which exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory activity(16). It not only helps reduce the inflammation and itching caused by back acne but also reduces their recurrence.

You Will Need

• A few garlic cloves

What You Have To Do

1. Mince the garlic cloves.
2. Extract the juice and spread it over your back.
3. Allow it to sit for around 30 minutes and then wash it off.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this at least twice daily.

13. Green Tea

Green tea is beneficial for treating acne – whether it is taken orally or applied topically. This is due to the presence of polyphenols that help reduce sebum secretion and acne (17).

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of green tea
• 1 cup of water
• Cotton pads

What You Have To Do

1. Add a teaspoon of green tea to a cup of hot water.
2. Steep for 5 to 7 minutes and strain.
3. After the tea cools down a bit, dip a cotton pad in it.
4. Spread it gently on your back.
5. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with water.
6. For added benefits, you can also drink green tea regularly.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times daily. 

14. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is known to reduce acne lesions (18). It may also be used to exfoliate your skin and treat acne breakouts.

You Will Need

• 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
• Cotton pads

What You Have To Do

1. Take hydrogen peroxide solution on a cotton pad.
2. Apply it all over your back.
3. Allow it to dry.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1 to 2 times daily.

15. Honey

Raw honey is especially helpful in treating inflamed and pus-filled acne. Honey has natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may help reduce acne (19).

You Will Need

• Raw honey (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Take some raw honey and apply it all over your back.
2. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes before washing it off.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 2 to 3 times daily.

16. Sugar Scrub

The coarse texture of sugar may be used to exfoliate your back gently. Exfoliation may help remove accumulated dead skin cells in your pores that may otherwise be causing back acne.

You Will Need

• ½ a cup of sugar
• ½ a cup of coconut or olive oil

What You Have To Do

1. Add half a cup of coconut or olive oil to half a cup of sugar.
2. Use the mixture as a scrub to gently exfoliate your back while bathing.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily or every alternate day.

17. Turmeric

The major component of turmeric is curcumin (20). This compound has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may help treat acne lesions (21).

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
• Water (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Mix two teaspoons of turmeric powder and a little water to form a thick paste.
2. Apply the paste to your back evenly.
3. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Wash it off with water.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this once daily.

In addition to trying out these remedies, you need to take some precautions to prevent the recurrence of back acne.

Prevention Tips For Back Acne

• Shower immediately after an intense workout – The sweat and dirt accumulated after exercising can settle in your pores, which can aggravate acne.
• Exfoliate regularly – Use a mild, non-comedogenic exfoliator with salicylic acid. It helps remove excess oils and dead skin cells from the pores.
• UV rays from the sun may darken the acne and result in acne scarring. Hence, avoid sun exposure while you have back acne.
• Slather oil-free sunscreen daily – Sunscreen helps repair damaged skin and absorbs excess oil from the pores.
• Choose non-comedogenic skin care products.
• Keep your hair off your back.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes that do not irritate your skin. Tight clothes may push oil and bacteria deeper into the pores.
• Clean your gym clothes and towels regularly.
• Laser therapy can remove excess oils from your pores and may reduce acne. Even though the treatment is slow, it is quite effective in keeping back acne at bay.

The type of food you take plays a vital role in combating back acne. The following diet tips can help.

Diets Tips For Back Acne

• Follow a healthy diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Consume foods that are rich in vitamins A and D.
• Avoid foods like ice cream, cheese, and chocolates as they may aggravate acne.
• Stick to a low-glycemic diet to prevent the occurrence of acne (22).
• Eating probiotic-rich foods helps boost skin health and keeps acne at bay. Foods like kimchi, miso, yogurt, and kefir are rich in probiotics.
• Instead of an extreme or restrictive eating plan, try to follow a well-balanced diet.

Over-The-Counter Medicines For Back Acne

The following OTC acne products can help clear mild back acne. However, we suggest you consult a dermatologist to assess the severity of your acne and take the prescribed medications.

1. Benzoyl Peroxide (emollient foam wash) (22): Use a product that contains 5.3% Benzoyl Peroxide. If you need a stronger dose, purchase foaming face washes that contain 10% benzoyl peroxide.
2. Retinoid (adapalene 0.1% gel) (23): Retinoid can help unclog the pores. Using it along with benzoyl peroxide can reduce the severity of acne.