How to Get Rid of Butt Acne, According to Dermatologists
While acne literally anywhere on the body can be annoying, at least if it’s happening on your derriere, not many people are going to see it — well, most of the time. Now that it’s almost swimsuit season, finding ways on how to get rid of butt acne may be on your mind.
The key to banishing breakouts for good is knowing what causes butt acne and stocking your shower with products guaranteed to get rid of it as well as prevent it from coming back. To find products that actually work, we asked dermatologists for their personal recs. Keep reading to see the ones they swear by.
What is Butt Acne?
TBH, there’s nothing special about butt acne. What causes butt acne is the same as what causes acne anywhere else. “Acne, whether on the face or the body, occurs when pores are clogged by sebum, dead skin cells, and dirt,” says Dr. Melanie Palm, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon at Art of Skin MD.
Dr. Mary Alice Mina, MD, a dermatologist and adjunct assistant professor of dermatology at Emory University, explains that all acne is caused by an overproduction of sebum (a fancy word for oil) and blockage of the pilosebaceous, which is a hair follicle unit. “We have these hair oil units in most places on our bodies, including our buttock skin,” Dr. Mina says.
Maybe you’re wondering how exactly the pores on your butt are getting clogged. After all, it’s not like they’re exposed to as much as your face is. Dr. Palm says that one way this can happen is by hanging out in your sweaty workout clothes after sports practice or the gym. “Wearing tight-fitting clothes or undergarments made of synthetic fibers can also make someone more prone to breakouts in the butt area,” she adds. This is why so many derms recommend wearing cotton undies.
The best products to treat butt acne:
- Best Drugstore: PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash, $20
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, $18
- Best with Benzoyl Peroxide: Humane Acne Wash, $23
- Best with Salicylic Acid: Nécessaire The Body Acne Wash, $20
- Best for Exfoliation: Paula’s Choice Clear Back & Body Exfoliating Acne Spray, $29
All your butt acne questions, answered:
Best with Salicylic Acid: The Body Acne Wash
This body wash is literally designed to treat body acne, including butt acne. Dr. Palm says the active ingredient in it, salicylic acid, is a good one for both treating acne as well as preventing future breakouts. “I like that it’s also formulated with niacinamide [a form of vitamin B3] to help with inflammation and hyperpigmentation. It also has glycerin to help counteract the potential drying effects of salicylic acid,” she says.
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Best Drugstore: Acne Foaming Wash
Another body wash made for treating body acne, both Dr. Chacon and Dr. Mina like this one because it has 10% benzoyl peroxide, which Dr. Mina says it is fantastic for treating butt acne. It’s unscented, which is helpful for people with sensitive skin whose skin may get irritated by fragrances in body wash.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Oil-Free Acne Wash
“This face wash is great to use as a body wash for your backside,” Dr. Mina says. (Don’t let the fact that it’s branded as a face wash stop you from using it all over.) Once again, the all-star ingredient is salicylic acid. It also smells like fresh grapefruit, which will make your whole shower smell amazing.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
Best with Benzoyl Peroxide: Acne Wash
When shopping for a body wash to treat butt acne, Dr. Chacon says to look for one with benzoyl peroxide in it, which is the active ingredient in this body wash by Humane. Technically, you can use it for your face too — FYI in case you like washing your face in the shower.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
Best for Exfoliation: Clear Back & Body Exfoliating Acne Spray
Exfoliating parts of your body that are especially acne-prone is helpful because it removes dead skin cells, which helps unclog pores. Dr. Palm recommends this exfoliating acne spray by Paula’s Choice because it’s made with salicylic acid, which is great for treating acne, redness, and inflammation. “I love that this spray can be used for hard-to-reach spots, like the butt area,” she says.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
Radiance Pads
This is another product that’s branded as a face product, but Dr. Mina says it can work for treating butt acne too. “They make it easy to wipe the area to help remove dirt, debris, and grime as well as help exfoliate,” she says. Made with glycolic acid, lactic acid, and lemon peel, it pulls double-duty by treating acne and gently exfoliating skin, leaving it super smooth. Use them by giving your tush a wipedown with one of the pads after completing drying off from the shower.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Sephora promo codes.
Acne Treatment Gel
“Over-the-counter retinoids help open up pores and treat the root cause of butt acne,” Dr. Mina says, which is why she recommends this retinoids-containing gel. Never heard of retinoids? A more powerful version than retinol, they increase skin turnover, creating new, healthy cells, getting rid of pore-clogging debris in the process. Apply this gel right on your butt acne and it will start working its magic.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
Beauty Glow Baby Brightening Peel Pads
If what you’re experiencing is actually folliculitis or keratosis pilaris, Dr. Mina says that it can be helpful to use AHA peel pads, like these from Pacifica. AHAs are a type of exfoliating acid, which in this case are sourced from apple extract. They’ll help smooth out the bumps on your rear end in no time.
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Urea Cream
To get rid of folliculitis or keratosis pilaris, Dr. Mina recommends using a moisturizer with urea, which is used to soften rough skin. Apply it after showering.
If you’ve tried over-the-counter products and are still experiencing butt acne, that’s when it’s time to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. Together, you can figure out the root cause and the dermatologist can prescribe you a stronger treatment, if needed. By the way, butt acne is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about; your derm won’t bat an eyelash when you bring it up.
The good news is that, while it may be annoying, butt acne is completely harmless. It’s also treatable. Put the advice shared here into action and you’ll be able to finally put butt acne, well, behind you.
Save on the best butt acne products with these Amazon promo codes.
10/13What is Butt Acne?
Butt acne can also be part of puberty. “Acne can be triggered by hormone fluctuations which occur during puberty for girls and boys and this can lead to more oil production,” Dr. Mina says. So if it’s something you’re experiencing, rest assured that you are absolutely not the only one dealing with it.
Sometimes, what you think is butt acne is actually something else. Dermatologist Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD, says that what looks like butt acne is often skin irritation, which is called folliculitis. Dr. Chacon says that anything causing friction can cause folliculitis. (See again: wearing tight clothes.) “Shaving and waxing irritation or even sitting in hot water for extended periods of time can also cause folliculitis,” Dr. Chacon adds.
It can be tricky to figure out if you have butt acne or folliculitis, but Dr. Palm says that if the bumps are red, it’s likely folliculitis. Sometimes, folliculitis also has pus—so keep an eye out for that too.
Dr. Palm says that another skin condition that often gets mistaken for butt acne but actually isn’t is keratosis pilaris, which is often referred to as “chicken skin.” “[Keratosis pilaris] is a skin condition caused by a buildup of keratin [ a type of protein found in skin] in the hair follicle, resulting in hard plugs that present as rough bumps,” Dr. Palm explains. Similar to folliculitis, keratosis pilaris looks like small, red bumps and, unlike acne, they usually feel rough.
11/13How To Get Rid of Butt Acne
According to all three derms, butt acne, folliculitis, and keratosis pilaris are all treated the same way. Dr. Chacon says the number one way to get rid of butt acne (or the other two bumpy culprits) is to rinse your body off in the shower with an antibiotic soap when you’re sweaty instead of hanging out in moist clothes. “This will help eliminate any sweat, bacteria, and dirt that make contact with the skin,” she says.
Dr. Chacon says it’s important to actually wash your sweaty clothes too. So if you wore a cute pair of shorts out on a hot day, toss ‘em in the hamper before you hop in the shower instead of putting them back into your dresser to wear another time. “Clothes can hang on to sweat, bacteria, and dirt as well and create further irritation. It is really important to wash clothes, towels, and bedding regularly for the same reason as bacteria can be transferred to your skin,” she says. All three derms say that wearing loose-fitting clothing can help too because it cuts down on skin irritation and helps skin breathe more.
12/13Meet the Experts
- Dr. Melanie Palm, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon at Art of Skin MD. She is also an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego.
- Dr. Mary Alice Mina, MD, is a dermatologist and an adjunct assistant professor of dermatology at Emory University.
- Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology.
13/13Sources
- Acne Vulgaris. StatPearls.
- Anatomy, Hair Follicle. StatPearls.
- Folliculitis. StatPearls.
- Keratosis Pilaris. StatPearls.
- Salicylic acid treats acne vulgaris by suppressing AMPK/SREBP1 pathway in sebocytes. Experimental Dermatology. 2019.
- Benzoyl Peroxide. StatPearls.
