Neck Acne

Amazon.com Widgets

Acne on the back of the neck is very similar to acne on the back itself. Much like the back, the skin on the back of the neck is much thicker than that on the face and can produce lots of oil. Because of this, the skin on the back of the neck can often produce more severe lesions such as cysts and nodules, or large whiteheads. Neck acne tends to be more prevalent in boys and men, but girls and women can experience it as well.

Neck acne is hard to deal with, and that’s putting it mildly. I had a case of neck acne on the back of my neck in high school that still pains me to think about. I would make sure to wear collared shirts every day and would try to sit in the back of the class so no one could see the back of my neck. There is a regimen that can take care of this issue however, so do not fear.

Neck acne is caused by the same mechanisms that cause facial and body acne. Pores become clogged due to a build-up of cells inside pores which stick together and cause a plug. Then bacteria and skin oil, which would normally drain to the surface get caught inside and grows. These pores can burst, causing redness and pus to develop.

Irritation can also aggravate neck acne. Collared shirts that rub on the skin of the neck can often make acne worse in the area. This often creates a vicious circle. Acne develops, so people will wear collared shirts to cover it. The collared shirts then cause irritation and aggravate acne, and so on. Anything else that irritates the skin on the back of the neck can also lead to more acne. Try some of the following ways of avoiding irritation.

•    Try wearing crew neck shirts or shirts without collars.
•    If you must wear collared shirts, as most of us must from time to time, try wearing soft cotton shirts which will be less harsh when rubbing against the skin.
•    Do not pick the area.
•    Try to stay aware of anything that might irritate the back of your neck and take action to stop the irritation if possible.

Most of us are familiar with acne and have a good sense of how to treat it, but few of us know how to treat neck acne. Acne can occur on many areas of the body including the face, chest, shoulders, back, buttock, and even the neck. Treating neck acne requires a different treatment approach than other areas of the body.

Less Is More
Many of the over-the-counter acne products that you see advertised can be used to treat neck acne as well, but there is one important difference. When you treat neck acne, you need to apply products sparingly. The neck is a very sensitive area. Feel the skin on your hands. Now, feel the skin on your neck. The skin on your neck is more delicate than the rest of your body because it is thinner. If you use full strength acne products on neck acne, you will very well likely irritate your skin.

The difficult thing about neck acne is that it can be exacerbated rather easily. The neck can easily trap sweat underneath it which can make neck acne worse.

Once and Only Once
Do not apply acne products to your neck more than once per day to start off with. If you have incredibly sensitive skin, start by using acne treatment creams once every other day. Gradually increase to using acne cream once per day. Make sure you moisturize your skin both in the morning and in the evening. So many people forget to moisturize their neck, and if you are applying a benzoyl peroxide cream to your neck acne you will definitely need to use a moisturizer.

Many individuals who have neck acne also have facial acne, but if you only have neck acne it is obviously easier to conceal in cold weather climates than facial acne is. Neck acne can be concealed relatively easily by wearing turtlenecks. Females who wear makeup can also apply some facial makeup to their neck acne to provide a bit of coverage.

Bookmark: