Dermatalogist names an unexpected item that is among the worst triggers for back acne in monsoon

A surprising yet essential part of your monsoon routine may be the culprit behind back acne. Read on to find out what it is.

Back acne is common. While it’s often assumed that these pesky breakouts only happen during summer, they can flare up just as much during the monsoon, spreading across the back, shoulders, and upper arms. And sometimes, grimy humidity turns simple, essential things you may use on a daily basis into an acne trigger. Dr Raina Nahar, Sr. Consultant, Dermatology, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, shared with HT Lifestyle how monsoon's humidity triggers it more often.

Back acne shows up in small, reddish bumps. (Shutterstock)

First, he described what back acne looks like so that you can identify it better. Dr Nahar explained,“Back acne is also known as truncal acne. Primarily, the chest, upper back, shoulder areas, and upper arms are the areas where you see acne form eruptions. Usually, the red, bumpy ones slightly pustular ones are more visible in this area. More so, sweat, oil occlusion, friction and dandruff in the scalp are related to the trigger factors."

Back acne can also worsen during the monsoon due to increased humidity because of how it gets trapped on the skin. This makes humidity one of the common risk factors for back acne. The dermat further added, "Yes, it can also be seasonal. Humidity is a big factor where occlusion of sweat and oil ducts can be troublesome. It’s also seen in athletes who end up wearing a lot of athleisure clothes, which do not absorb sweat, and they have a lot of physical activities, inducing sweat and oil from the skin, which can cause trouble and act as a trigger. Especially, in a humid climate like Mumbai, it is important to shower twice daily so that the sweat and oil are removed and friction is avoided.”

Backpacks may cause back acne?

Back packs frequently worn can also cause back acne. (Shutterstock)

It may come as a surprise, but did you know that backpacks, paired with high humidity, can be a perfect recipe for back acne? Dr Nahar revealed this more about this unexpected trigger, poiting at the friction and pressure from backpack straps, particularly during humid condition may clog sweat gland. He said, "Most of the people travel with backpacks (bags on their shoulders) so that friction and occlusion of the sweat glands and oil glands also trigger back acne. Other than this, dandruff and an oily scalp are also other trigger factors. So, it is imperative to take care of these trigger factors.”

Besides the surprising backpack trigger, he also shared some common triggers like dandruff and an unhygienic scalp.

Hormonal back acne

Hormonal imbalances can contribute to back acne just like facial acne, especially in young women. Addressing this trigger, the dermat added, "One more important factor that we see for young women is hormonal imbalances like PCOS, PCOD, and hyperandrogenism. These are the causes which trigger a severe form of back, buttock acne and the age-group we see is usually in teens to adults up to 25-30 years, and very few of them proceed further to cystic acne with scarring, but otherwise, the age-group for truncal acne is 18-35 years of age. ”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.