Fight Acne of the Back and Chest (Truncal Acne)
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| Acne of the back and chest sometimes accompanies facial acne. Severe cystic acne of the back may be more common in young men, but both men and women may develop some truncal acne lesions. Truncal acne may also be exacerbated by friction (such as weight lifting), exercising with shoulder pads, or exposure to oily compounds such as mechanics' grease. In some case, back and chest acne may be aggravated by a hormonal imbalance. Women, especially should be screened for ovarian or adrenal gland abnormalities if truncal acne is severe or persistent, or accompanied by other hormonal irregularities such as alopecia (hair loss), hirsutism (abnormal hair growth) or irregular menstrual periods. Please consult your health care provider for the appropriate evaluation.
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Acne of the back and chest is treated with the same variety of medications available to treat truncal acne. Because of the larger surface area involved, back and chest products are sometimes prescribed as foams, lotions or washes. Recent studies have confirmed the effectiveness of an older acne-fighting ingredient, Benzoyl peroxide, in the treatment of acne in general, and truncal acne more specifically. Benzoyl peroxide has been found to decrease the likelihood that the acne-causing bacteria p.acnes, will become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat acne. Benzoyl peroxide may also reduce the number of non-inflammatory lesions, such as blackheads or whiteheads that are the precursors to acne pimples or cysts.
For the treatment of the back or chest, Benzoyl peroxide is often recommended as a wash which is rinsed off, primarily because the 'peroxide' portion of the molecule can stain clothes or towels. Other side effects of Benzoyl peroxide can include irritation or true allergic reactions and of course, you should not use Benzoyl peroxide if you are pregnant or nursing without discussing it with your health care provider first.
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