How to Get Rid of Butt Acne in 2024 (Comprehensive Guide)
April 11, 2022
Butt acne (or buttne) differs from facial acne in two ways. First, it’s more frequently caused by a bacterial infection, which is rare in facial acne. Secondly, its treatment differs significantly from treatments used for facial or chest acne.
All acne types on any body part share some similar remedies. However, certain methods don’t work on some types and locations of acne. If you want to learn how to get rid of butt acne, our guide will give you a number of possible solutions for this bothersome condition.
Methods of Treating Butt Acne
Like the other acne spots, you can treat butt acne through one or more of these three methods:
- Simple DIY processes
- OTC medication
- Dermatologist-led therapy
We’ll focus on these three processes and provide as much information as possible about the options you have with each method. But first, let’s see what causes butt acne.
Causes of Butt Acne
There are more than a dozen indirect butt acne causes. You can control some of these causes on your own, while others need professional medical treatment to eliminate or manage. Let’s start with the causes you can deal with yourself—the external causes.
External Causes of Butt Acne
We can further divide external contributors into direct and indirect. The indirect causes lead to the direct causes of butt acne.
Indirect External Causes of Butt Acne
These causes are mainly found in your lifestyle, environment, and hygiene products. The most common causes of butt acne stem from our daily activities. These include:
Prolonged Chair-To-Butt Contact
Butt acne is more likely to form when you spend a lot of time sitting in a chair, enabling your skin to easily trap sweat and dirt. The continuous pressure and friction can also push the otherwise harmless bacteria into your follicles. Dermatologists recommend that you stand up now and then to ease the pressure and minimize the risk of butt acne from prolonged sitting.
Improper Exfoliation
Everyone researching how to get rid of acne on the butt will find that exfoliation is a very common suggestion. However, doing it incorrectly can be a major indirect cause of butt acne because the skin tissue is extremely fragile to rough contact. Scrubbing your behind too vigorously may cause breakages on the skin surface that bacteria can penetrate. Sometimes, you won’t even notice these small wounds, but they’ll be wide enough to let the bacteria in.
Using the Wrong Skin Products
Certain skin products contain substances that facilitate the build-up of dead cells on the skin or block the opening of pores. The biggest culprits of this are moisturizers. So, if you have trouble figuring out how to get rid of butt acne, you should check your skin product’s ingredients to ensure they’re safe to start with.
Sleeping in Your Swimsuit
Yeast and fungus are major causes of butt acne. Sleeping in a wet swimsuit provides a conducive environment for these organisms to grow, including bacteria. This applies to wet clothes in general.
Detergents
Some detergents contain chemicals that can cause a breakout on the butt, especially detergents used for your underwear. Clothing is a more controllable influence in other types of acne because you can simply wear loose clothing that doesn’t have too much contact with your skin. That’s why the likelihood of detergents triggering back or chest acne is much lower with loose clothing.
However, it’s a different scenario with underwear. Using the right detergents for your undies may be the one thing that’ll clear the bumps on your butt cheeks. Apart from proper hygiene like regularly bathing and doing laundry, an important step in combating butt acne is checking the chemicals in your detergent and how they affect your skin.
Others
- Not bathing after sweating
- Wearing tight-fitting pants or skirts
- Not exfoliating often enough
- Too much high-sugar foods
- Using birth control pills
- Air pollution
- Stressful jobs
- Not changing the undies daily
- Not changing sweaty clothes on time
- Not using antibacterial hygiene products
Direct External Causes of Butt Acne
Unlike other types of acne, buttne isn’t caused by acne vulgaris, which is why its treatment widely differs from that of facial or body acne. Moreover, not everything that looks like buttne is actually butt acne. There are three skin conditions that are generally referred to as the direct causes of butt acne, including:
- Folliculitis on the butt
- Contact dermatitis
- Keratosis pilaris
These all look like acne, but their causes and treatment vary. See a brief description of each skin condition below:
Folliculitis
Staphylococcus aureus, known as staph bacteria, is only one of numerous infectants that live on the skin and that can get into hair follicles through a break in the skin, causing inflammation, i.e., folliculitis. The infection results in red bumps and pus. Sweating, chafing, and shaving promote this infection by causing breakages in the surface of the skin. Thanks to zinc’s anti-inflammatory properties, some people use premium zinc supplements to try and fight some of the symptoms of the condition.
Contact Dermatitis
This skin rash arises from exposure to irritants or allergens you’re sensitive to. These substances can come from scented laundry products, flushable wipes with preservatives, cream, soap, etc. Contact dermatitis typically manifests as a red, itchy rash and may lead to the development of blisters and bumps on your butt cheeks. Dry skin, flaking, cracking, and burning are other major symptoms.
Keratosis Pilaris
This skin condition occurs when keratin builds up around your pore openings. This causes a bumpy skin rash due to dead skin cells filling up the hair follicles. Because keratosis pilaris is a cosmetic condition, whether you’ll treat it is completely up to you.
Internal Causes of Butt Acne
Genetics and hormonal changes are major internal causes of butt acne. Studies have shown that certain genes make structural changes in the sebaceous glands, reducing their ability to fight bacteria. This makes us more vulnerable to acne on the butt when the bacteria penetrate our skin.
On the other hand, hormonal changes occur during certain life stages or conditions. Being pregnant or approaching the end of your menstrual cycle can cause hormonal imbalances such as a drop in androgen levels. This imbalance stimulates the oil glands to produce more sebum and make the follicle wall stick, which leads to clogging of the pores.
Don’t Mistake Boils for Acne
These two can be difficult to tell apart because both can develop on the hair follicles, leading to swollen and tender spots under the skin. Particularly, the buttocks are a frequent location for boils. Boils can signal other serious conditions called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), also known as acne inversa—a condition that leaves scars after it heals. If the boils drain, then you need to see the dermatologist as soon as possible.
Effectively Treating Butt Acne
Because the most common acne on the butt is caused by a bacterial infection, any remedy you apply should have antibacterial properties. Any of the methods listed previously can be effective against bacteria, depending on how and what you apply. Here are the chief factors that influence the treatment of butt acne with medications.
Manner of Use
By “how you apply a remedy,” we mean how steadfast you are in using both medical and non-medical butt acne treatments. Bathing regularly and washing after every sweating session is a good way to prevent the development of butt acne. Timely change of underwear, keeping them clean, and using the right detergents is another important measure in combating butt acne.
Contents of the Medication
Similarly, by “what you apply for butt acne treatment,” we mean checking the ingredients in your laundry detergent, bathing soap, and lotion. There are many antibacterial ingredients used in skin and hair products. You need those that are proven effective against butt acne.
How to Get Rid of Butt Acne Fast
Your butt can develop all kinds of acne. Inflamed acne is irritating, painful to the touch, and discolors the surrounding skin. Non-inflamed acne is typically small, not irritating or painful, and doesn’t form much pus. If you notice any butt acne, the following simple DIY remedies might be able to clear it.
Use a Warm Compress
Use a warm cloth to soothe irritation and help release pus from whiteheads on your butt. Do this for 15 minutes and at least three times a day. You can add half a teaspoon of salt to each cup of water for best results. Another potent addition can be apple cider vinegar, which, as research shows, has antimicrobial properties.
Benzoyl Peroxide for Butt Acne—Wash or Gel
Facial acne products aren’t typically effective against buttne except in a few cases. Benzoyl peroxide is one of these exceptions. However, it’s more effective in butt acne with small, fine bumps or pimples on the buttocks.
Benzoyl peroxide is an antimicrobial agent that is very popular in the beauty industry. It’s used widely in acne OTC medications. You need to use products that contain 5%–10% of benzoyl peroxide for effectiveness. Be careful when applying it to your skin because this chemical can bleach the fabric. So, try to use white towels and underwear whenever you apply benzoyl peroxide.
Use Tea Tree Oil
Widely known as one of the stronger essential oils, tea tree oil has been used by generations of Australians to cure certain skin conditions, including acne breakouts. Research shows that it contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents that can prevent or heal butt acne.
Using tea tree oil for butt acne yields somewhat similar results as benzoyl peroxide but doesn’t work as fast. However, it seems that tea tree oil is the most effective remedy when it comes to butt acne. It may be too strong for your skin, so we suggest diluting it with water or aloe gel before using it.
Try Salicylic Acid Medicated Pads
As a beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid makes it easier for the skin to shed dead cells. You can dab it onto the affected areas of your butt using a pre-treated pad. However, be careful not to let any of the acid touch your genitals. You can combine salicylic acid with benzoyl peroxide for better results, and watch out for dryness and irritation as possible side effects of beta hydroxy acids on the skin.
Use a Saltwater Solution
Saltwater is another effective antimicrobial agent that can help clear your butt acne. It’s widely believed that treating your butt with saltwater will clear and prevent butt acne. However, this remedy isn’t backed by research. Yet, many people report complete butt acne treatment using saltwater. For best results, dilute one teaspoon of table salt in two cups of water and dab it onto your acne.
Garlic Paste for the Win
Garlic is fortified with potent compounds like diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide. These compounds are known to be effective against butt acne. You can make garlic paste by chopping up some garlic pods and mashing them in a mixer. Rub it onto your buttocks and rinse it with chilled water after 10–15 minutes. Do it twice a month and it should clear your butt acne.
Use Lemon Juice
If you worry about severe butt acne leaving scars, lemon juice is one of the best remedies. It’s a natural bleaching agent that’s also useful against butt acne. Slice a lemon, rub it onto the skin, and wash after 10–15 minutes. You can also wash it off sooner if it causes any burning. Dilution is another option to prevent irritation from lemon juice applied to the butt. Alternatively, if you don’t want to use lemons, high-quality vitamin C serum products can be just as effective.
When to See a Doctor
Our final word on treating butt acne is for you to visit a healthcare provider if your condition shows any of the following symptoms:
- Large, possibly tender bumps on the butt filled with pus
- Inflammation or severe symptoms, such as pain
- If the acne is spreading
- If it affects large areas
- Bleeding or raw skin
- Not responding to medications in 2–3 weeks
Conclusion
We’ve discussed several causes of butt acne and how to avoid them. We’ve also looked at some DIY and OTC solutions to clearing your butt acne without serious adverse effects. Anecdotal evidence and some research prove that there are plenty of options for those who need to know how to get rid of butt acne. But if you feel none of these remedies are working for you, get medical attention immediately.
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