How to Get Rid of Acne on Your Chest

You want to wear a swimsuit or maybe a low-cut dress or top, but you've got all of the signs of chest acne. Pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, cysts and even lesions form on your chest because of all of the sebaceous (oil-producing) glands on this part of your body. Fortunately, you can take several steps to get rid of acne on your chest by following these simple tips. Treat chest acne the same way you would acne on your face or any other part of your body. If you still have some spots after following the treatments, then you can disguise chest acne with a couple of quick tricks.

Step 1: Treating Chest Acne

1) Choose a soap that fights acne. Use a loofah scrubbing sponge and a soap containing cucumber, azulene or salicylic acid while you’re in the shower.

• Soaps containing these ingredients serve as drying agents, which will help to curb acne.
• If you scrub too roughly, you'll deplete your skin's natural oils, and you'll irritate your acne. Always scrub your chest gently to get rid of dead skin cells.
• Take a shower every day. If you don't clean your skin, you invite sebum and bacteria to collect on its surface, causing acne.

2) Apply a topical "zit zapper." The cream should have a concentration of salicylic acid between 0.5 and 2 percent. Smear the cream directly over your acne to dry out and heal the spot more quickly.

3) Use benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide fights the bacteria that cause acne, and assists in drying out and peeling dead layers of skin on the epidermis.^[1]

4) Make sure to exfoliate. Exfoliating is removing the dead layers of skin on the epidermis, or the top layer of skin. Exfoliating can help decrease the incidence of chest acne. Purchase or make your own body scrub, apply it to the skin on your chest, and watch the acne go away.

• Chest acne is often the result of clogged hair follicles or pores, which causes sebum to build up. This ultimately leads to acne.^[2] Men tend to have chests covered with hair, while women tend to wear more tight-fitting bras and tops. Both of these may contribute to chest acne, making exfoliation very important.

5) Smooth on a mask. Look for masks made of mud or charcoal or try a mask that contains mandelic acid.

• Mud or charcoal mask. Rub this mask on your chest twice per week and then rinse it off. A mask will cleanse the area and unclog your pores.^[3]
• Mandelic acid mask. These masks are usually applied 10 to 15 minutes before a shower. Then, you'll rinse the mask off with some specially formulated acne wash.
• You can also try a clay-based mask or a mask containing tea tree oil. Many people think that tea tree oil is a good treatment for a variety of skin conditions.

6) Make an aspirin paste. Aspirin actually contains salicylic acid^[4], which both dries out acne and reduces inflammation caused by acne. This makes it the perfect candidate for an effective paste.

• Crush 2 aspirin tablets and combine with one teaspoon of water and one teaspoon of honey. Apply to the chest, or where necessary, and let dry for 10 minutes. Wash off with cool water.

Step 2: Preventing Future Acne On Your Chest

1) Wear cotton or linen tops. Cotton and linen are the most breathable fabrics, and they let sweat evaporate instead of forming a layer on your chest that clogs your pores and invites bacteria to grow.

2) Change your diet. Eat a handful of walnuts every day to reduce skin inflammation. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Get lean protein, such as poultry breast or soy, into your diet, along with whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids.

• People who eat more fruits and veggies, and less milk and sugar, tend to have less acne.^[5] Make sure you get 5 to 9 servings of healthy vegetables (especially leafy greens) per day.
• Healthy fats, like omega-3s, help fight inflammation and promote healthy cells.^[6]Omega-3s are damaged by oxygen, meaning if you eat foods that are rich in omega-3s, try to eat them raw. Foods rich in omega-3s include:
• Fish, particularly salmon, sardines, and herring.^[7]
• Seeds and nuts, particularly flaxseed.^[7]
• Leafy greens, particularly spinach and arugula.^[7]

3) Drink plenty of water. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Like other organs, it needs plenty of water to stay hydrated and functioning on a healthy level. Many doctors recommend that you drink between 9 and 12 cups of water per day (2.2 to 3 liters), depending on whether you are a girl or guy.^[8]

• Cut sweet, sugary drinks like sodas, juices, and smoothies out of your diet. Although the evidence has been disputed for decades, new reports seem to indicate that dietsdo have a substantial effect on acne, listing sugar as a trigger.^[5] Sugars cause a spike in insulin, which in turn stimulates certain pimple producing hormones.
• Unsweetened green may work, too. Green tea contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals; free radicals affect the cells that may be responsible for signs of aging in the skin. For a healthy alternative to water, brew some tasty and healthy green tea!

4) Skip dairy products. Dairy products contain hormones from cows, and these hormones stimulate your pores and your oil glands. If you have to drink milk, choose skim milk. The hormones are largely concentrated in the fatty portion of the milk, so drinking skim will limit your exposure.^[9]

5) Use non-comedogenic body lotion to prevent additional breakouts.^[10] Look for labels that say "non-comedogenic" or "oil-free." Comedogenic ingredients have a tendency to clog pores.

• Comedogenic ingredients include cocoa butter, pigments and dyes, coal tar and isopropyl myristate.
• If your skin is oily, you should always look for non-comedogenic lotion and cleansers.^[11]

6) Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom. If you have germ-ridden hands and then touch your chest, you transfer bacteria onto your chest skin that can clog your pores. So wash up. You'll not only prevent acne but also a variety of diseases.

7) Remove as much unhealthy stress from your life as possible. Doctors aren't completely sure why, but they do know that there is a link between stress and skin disorders, specifically stress and acne. Somehow, the cells that produce sebum, which is the stuff that ultimately causes acne, become unregulated when a person experiences a lot of stress.^[12]

• Get plenty of rest. Doctors know that the less you sleep, the more likely you are to experience stress throughout the day.^[13] And the more stress you experience, the worse your acne gets.

8) Exercise. Exercising is almost a universal panacea. In this case, exercise promotes healthy circulation and helps ease anxiety and stress. So find an excuse to run — or walk — around the block, join an intramural sports team, or hit the stationary bike.

• Shower after you exercise. This is very important. Your pores may be clogged with sweat after you exercise. If you shower and clean them, there's a good chance that you might avoid some of the chest acne that is caused by simple neglect after exercising.

Part 3: Digesting Chest Acne

1) Dab your blemish with a cotton swab that you've soaked in hydrogen peroxide.

• Alternately, dab a blemish with a Q-Tip that you've soaked in eye drops (used for redness relief). Eye drops can help reduce inflammation and the visibility of redness. For added relief, place the soaked Q-Tip in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes before applying.

2) Apply a concealer that contains salicylic acid. Choose concealer that's 1 shade darker than your skin tone.

3) Add a layer of foundation that matches your usual skin tone.

4) Dust your chest with powder.^[14] You should be good to go.

5) Try calamine lotion if you don't want to use makeup. The pink color masks the acne while providing relief from the irritation.

Tips - 

• Acne can be aggravated by stress. Take steps to relieve stress so that you can minimize your chance of having a breakout.
• If you spray perfume on your chest, discontinue that. It may aggravate your pores or clog/close them.
• If nothing's working, talk to a dermatologist. You can use prescription creams or oral medications that will have marked results.
• Any regimen that you try could take up to 6 weeks to work. Don't give up too quickly on something that may eventually be effective.
• If you do apply lotion, try eczama lotion. It will not clog pores and it will moisturize!
• Eat less fried food and avoid soft drinks if possible, so that less sugar and oil are produced from your body.
• When wearing low cut shirts, try to wear a matching tank top to hide all those little imperfections. try cotton as it is easier on the skin, but do not use fabric softener because it clog the pores on your chest, and create irritation.

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