Having acne is never an enjoyable experience. If you wake up with a gigantic zit on your chest or up near your shoulder, not only are you going to be irritated but you're also probably going to be in pain, especially if you are wearing a bra and its straps or cups land right on the zit. Here are some tips for getting rid of chest acne.

1. Shower Immediately After Any Activity That Causes You to Sweat

The first thing that you want to do is make sure that you shower immediately after any activity that causes you to sweat due to the fact that sweat will block your pores and increase the chances that you will develop acne all over your body, but especially your chest. While you are showering, make sure to scrub your chest and back, or any other parts of your body that seem prone to acne, with a scrub that includes salicylic acid. Salicylic acid will essentially do a deep cleanse of your pores. For maximum cleansing, apply the scrub to an exfoliating brush or a loofah. These two pieces of equipment are able to force any dirt out of your pores, as well as strip any dead skin off of your body, which will further open up the pores.

2. Avoid Using Benzoyl Peroxide Unless You're Going to Wear a Disposable T-Shirt

Many people already have benzoyl peroxide in order to treat acne on their face. You can absolutely use this on your back because it has many of the same characteristics as salicylic acid. However, benzoyl peroxide tends to stain clothing. This is a good choice if you are just showering before you go to bed and can throw on an old T-shirt that you don't mind ruining. The T-shirt will help protect your sheets from being bleached by the benzoyl peroxide.

3. Wear a Shirt That Covers Your Chest When Sleeping

Many people don't wash their sheets as often as they should. This means that the sheets are usually full of dust and dead skin, which can easily clog a person's pores. If you are one of those people that are less likely to wash their sheets every week, then you are going to want to wear a clean T-shirt to bed. The T-shirt will protect your chest from getting clogged with the dead skin and dust that are on your sheets and decrease the chances that you will develop more acne.

For more information, talk to a dermatology physician like J Kent Bartruff MD PA.

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