While many people think about acne as something that affects only the skin on your face, you can develop acne in other areas. Back acne is something that bothers lots of people, and even though it's mostly out of plain sight, it can be irritating and also make you feel embarrassed about taking off your shirt in the gym change room or at the beach. If you suffer from back acne, you should consider seeing a dermatologist for help. As a skin care professional, he or she can provide you with numerous treatment options to reduce the acne and alleviate its associated discomfort. Here are some additional ways that you can deal with this situation.

Avoid Scratching

Back acne might not necessarily be itchy, but it can be tempting to slip a hand inside the collar of your shirt and scratch at the bumps. If the individual pimples are full, you can break them by scratching them with a fingernail. This is generally a poor idea, however, and can slow down the speed at which the acne heals up because of the introduction of bacteria from under your fingernails. Additionally, the acne on your back can bleed unbeknownst to you, which can result in unsightly blood stains that seep through your shirt and can have you feeling embarrassed. 

Keep Out Of The Sun

Even if you're nervous about others seeing your back acne, you might be OK with wearing a tank top, bathing suit top or, for me, going shirtless in your yard in the summer. While the feeling of the fresh air on your sore skin may initially be appealing, you have to be careful not to sustain a sunburn. Sunburn can irritate your skin further and leave your back acne feeling even more bothersome. Always use sunscreen and, when possible, try to limit your bare back's exposure to the sun.

Change How You Sit

In severe cases of back acne, pressure on your back — even through your clothing — can cause pain. If you're in such a situation, you'll want to make some changes to how you sit. For example, instead of leaning back in your chair so that your upper back is pressed against the back support, try to sit up straight so that you aren't relying on the back support of the chair. You may want to put a folded blanket against your lower back to provide a bit of support but remind you to keep your upper back forward.

Check out a website like http://www.greaterdesmoinesdermatology.com/ today to learn more.