Acne is a common problem for both teenagers and adults and the most common perception of the condition is that it occurs on the face. But, if you suffer from acne you know that it can appear in other areas of the body as well such as the chest and the back.

Although back and chest acne is not so obvious to the outside observer it can nevertheless be extremely annoying for those suffering from it. Unfortunately, chest and back acne is often harder to treat than the acne that you have on your face and traditional treatments and cleansers which you purchase for the treatment of facial acne are generally not as effective when it comes to back acne treatment. And, since your back and chest are normally covered by clothing, you might experience greater irritation as your clothes rub against your acne.

Just as you do with your facial acne you will have to have a daily treatment regimen for acne on your back and the majority of common regimens include a cleanser to be followed by a moisturizer. Often, it is harder to apply medication to your back acne simply because of where it is located and so you might require the help of a family member or to use a special lotion applicator.

You will have to take care over the sort of clothes that you wear. Tight-fitting shirts or rough material can rub against your skin and irritate your spots resulting in greater oil production and thus more breakouts. You also have to be careful about the type of detergent and fabric softener you use. Sometimes detergents and fabric softeners will irritate your back acne and you might need to try different brands or change to a dye and fragrance free variety.

Watch what you carry anything on you back. For teenagers in school, as well as those people who do a lot of backpacking and hiking, a backpack can make back acne considerably worse. If you see a rise in the number of acne breakouts you may want to stop carrying a backpack for a time. If this is a problem then a shoulder bag can help in the interim.

A doctor or dermatologist can be a great help with both diagnosis and treatment of your acne and will be able to start by determining how bad your acne is and assessing your skin type. For example, whether your skin is dry or oily or what is called a combination skin plays an important part deciding upon the best treatment. Your doctor or dermatologist will also want to have a history of your acne condition, including such as how long you have had it and how frequently breakouts happen.  With this information he or she can work out the best treatment and the best acne medicine to clear up your particular case of acne.