Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Understanding Body Acne - An Aid to Getting Clear Skin

By Nathan James

Most people believe that once they get through puberty they will seldom see break outs of acne, but reality can be a source of frustration for many adults as they contend with this unsightly problem throughout their adult life. In addition to the usual spots on the face and neck, body acne can be a source of embarrassment as well as uncomfortable when rubbed and irritated by clothing.

Some of the typical causes of acne include hormonal changes, the menstrual cycle, and stress. In addition to these, body acne is frequently brought about by tight clothing and sweating.

Acne, regardless of its location is caused by a build up of sebum, the glands that provide moisture to the skin's surface. When it mixes with dead skin cells or other dirt on the surface, it blocks the pores through which the sebum travels to the surface, causing body acne. Typically, people are used to seeing acne on faces and necks, but it may not be until they get to the beach in the bathing suit that they reveal body acne on shoulders, back, legs and even their butt.

Due to the fact that doing strenuous exercise causes the body to sweat profusely, people who do regular exercise in tight fitting clothing are at high risk for developing body acne. For most people, making some good choices and taking some preventative measures can help them to make their skin clearer.

Cure Acne Through Prevention

Although the severity of body acne cannot be directly controlled, the frequency with which the body breaks out can be reduced by taking some important steps for prevention. It is true that eating a good diet promotes good health, but the long held theory belief that certain foods cause acne is not supported in any way by medical science. Even though reaching the skin all over your body can sometimes be difficult, exfoliation is the most important step in preventing acne.

The skin on the back and legs is thicker than on the face so a five to 10 percent cream of benzoyl peroxide is usually able to be used in the fight against body acne without irritating the skin.

In addition, these areas require exfoliating to remove dead skin cells, followed with a moisturizer to maintain the skin's softness. Avoid wearing tight clothing, especially when exercising and shower or take a bath soon after the work out to prevent the extra sweat from contributing to body acne.

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