Back acne can usually be in the form of blackheads or pimples. Just like facial acne, there is no specific cause for the formation of acne on the back. However, some experts opine that its formation is almost the same as that of other forms of acne in various parts of the body on neck, face, and chest. It is possibly caused by the excessive production of a particular gland called sebaceous glands which is most dominant when our body is experiencing hormonal changes around puberty or during other times.

However, we can’t ignore the other possible factors that contribute to the development of acne on the back of the body. Wearing tight fitting clothes, jeans, tight shirts and tops which trap perspiration against the skin and invite bacteria to enter the place and cause acne. Carrying a heavy bag can also cause the back and shoulders discomfort and also cause irritation in the pressed areas. The result is clogging of pores causing blemishes, white heads, papules and pustules to occur.

After going through various reasons and factors of itchy back acne, we can’t focus on the basic main cause of acne. In most cases it occurs due to negligence or ignorance. If you are not fairly aware of the acne disease, then you won’t be able to deal or cure the back acne which you can otherwise cure it effectively and efficiently.

With an addition to the above discussed factors, a sincere attempt to rummage the possible causes of itchy back acne is made. After thorough search we can say that detergents that are harsh to our skin are harmful for our skin. At the same time, washing our bed sheet, clothes, and towels in an unhygienic way, may also invite acne problem. You may not be aware and might be wondering why stress encourage back acne problem. In fact, an improper diet too pushes up the problem of acne substantially.

If you are active in sports, due to very simple and obvious reasons of heat and friction problem on back, acne becomes evident. Again Heat and Friction are the main components of back acne. Let’s say, in case of football players, or cricket players, shoulder or knee pads can cause acne on the player neck and on the knee area. Likewise in case of a cyclist, tight fitting clothing can traps the body pills, and rubs against the skin.

At last, it may be concluded that the real causes of itchy back acne have still not been proven; it largely depends upon the individual distinctiveness that makes the back acne to stick to a particular cause.

Causes of Acne Vulgaris can range from genetic to the changes in the hormonal balance. Even overeating of oily foods or chocolates can lead to the occurrence of Acne Vulgaris. The problem of Acne usually happens in adolescents when they experience a change in hormones during puberty and the body oil starts increasing. The seasonal changes in the weather like increase in humidity and prolonged sweating can also lead to this problem. Sometimes, athletes consume medicines like steroids, estrogen, testosterone and lithium which can also disturb the hormonal balance of the body and lead to acne.

Cosmetic agents like use of greasy make up can clog the pores of the skin and lead to the appearance of acne. Women with oily skin should always check out the oil content of the products through labels before purchasing it.

Apart from pustules on the face in Acne Vulgaris, blackheads, whiteheads and pimples can occur on the face, forehead, chest, back and forehead of a person. Sometimes, cysts can also occur on the shoulders, foreheads and body parts of a person suffering from acne. The most common reason for Acne Vulgaris is the presence of microcomedo which leads to a clogging of the skin. This disorder often results in the development of the blackheads and the whiteheads and consequently a further appearance of the pustules, nodules and papules. Apparently, Acne Vulgaris is often defined with an appearance of excoriations, scars, blemishes and pigments on the face. There can also be a secretion of excess sebum in the body due to hormonal imbalances and eating of greasy food. Lack of proper exercise can also be responsible for this disorder.

There are a whole raft of remedies available for the treatment of acne right from topical therapies like oral contraceptives, retinoid and benzyl peroxide. The right kind of the treatment depends on the sensitivity of the skin of the person who is using such products. It is always advisable to go for the products containing 5% of the benzyl peroxide for any kind of oily skin otherwise higher amounts can lead to harsh effects on the skin.

A person can also resort to the use of the home made remedies of cinnamon powder and honey to get effective results. One can make a paste of these two products and apply them effectively on the skin for a period of two weeks for getting rid of the pimples. Just apply this powder on the pimples before sleeping and wash immediately after waking up.

To conclude, the causes of acne vulgaris are numerous and they vary from person to person; however, you have to look for the remedies after having diagnosed your type of skin.

Types of acne –

Depending upon the pimples and type of skin damage they cause, different types of acne have been defined. They are as follows-

• Pustules: these are nothing but pimples that are pus-filled and inflamed comedones with reddish edges.
• Papules: The pinkish bumps seen on different parts of skin are called papules.
• Nodular acne: Solid and painful skin lesions that are deep within the dermis are called nodular acne.
• Cystic acne: this is severe form of acne in which the infected content of a pustule erupt below the skin. This makes body defend this infection, thus leading to inflammation with redness and swelling. This many times leaves an unsightly scar.
• Comedones: the subnormal eruption of acne is comedone with the enlarged puffy hair follicle. If it is under the skin, it is whitehead and when it erupts to surface, it becomes blackhead.
• Acne rosacea: these are usually adult acne occurring between ages 30-60. It usually accompanies acne vulgaris and presents itself with patchy red bumpy skin of face, neck and/or chest. Red oily skin with scars is usually present.
• Acne cosmetica: due to use of excess or wrong cosmetics, sometimes skin gives rise to allergic acne, which are called acne cosmetica. Usually this is short term outbreak and not very severe.
• Acne conglobata: numerous pustules and nodules covering back, chest, buttocks etc especially in males are called acne conglobata. Because they are connected beneath to the lower skin layers, they leave excessive scarring. If this becomes very severe with infected nodules, fever, joint pains, and weight loss, it is termed as acne fulminans that is a medical emergency. Though very rare to happen.

Now when we know the types of acne, let’s see what the basic causes for this disfiguring acne lesions are -

• While listing the causes, mainly our skin itself should be blamed for causing acne. Yes, because of the sebaceous glands in the skin, the oil or sebum is produced. This sebum is the major cause for acne. When the sebum clogs the skin pore, a bacterial infection may occur that leads to acne.
• However, this excess sebum production is the result of hormonal influences. So, now hormones get the blame. The hormones, especially the androgenic hormones that work aggressively during puberty lead to enlargement of sebaceous glands leading to more sebum secretion and more acne lesions.
• Heredity: If father or mother has suffered severe acne in their teens, there is more likelihood of their offspring suffering from it during teenage.
• Progesterone: many adolescent girls’ acne flair up before menstrual cycle. This is the result of hormone progesterone playing mischief. Also for the same reason, some pregnant women keep developing acne throughout the pregnancy. Also start or stop of birth control pills result in acne at times.
• Drug acne: certain drugs like barbiturates, testosterone, lithium, anabolic steroids etc can lead to severe acne at times.
• Stress: modern day stress and strain is said to be the exciting cause for acne. Though definitive evidence lacks, it is seen especially in acne rosacea that emotional and psychological disturbances aggravate the condition.
• Some people correlate the acne flair up with faulty irregular diet, drinking less water, irregular sleep habits leading to stress, and even vitamin deficiency.

Understanding the types and causes of acne is very important from treatment point of view. Eradicating the cause definitely increases the chances of acquiring flawless skin at the earliest!