Spotty back..

LegacyUser

Hey,
I've got a very spotty and hairy back its not something im proud of,i have got it waxed before i go on holidays etc.It was always there but even very recently its gotten worse with spots i wash everyday But the spots dont seem to be going away..I play sports and get to the gym when i can,my diet isnt that bad never was .I believe the hair brings on the spots(im just guessing).Im going on holidays soon and im even afraid to go get it waxed because of the spots.I've heard laser treatment is very exspensive and slow.I'm also an average smoker.Anybody got any suggestions?

the_syco

Just the one: change what you wash with for a week. You'll eventually find one that doesn't cause spots. If your skin doesn't like it, you'll get spots. Also try using a rough cloth when washing your back.

biko

Try and go to a sunbed place. You don't need much to clear up the worst (my own experience from days of yonder). You can/should ask a doctor as it may be a hormonal thing that can be treated.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Have you been under any unusual stress since the spots broke out? Not tryign to give medical adivce here, but it's been known to bring on reactions.

Alicat

I hope this isn't construed as medical advice, I'd call it more cosmetic!
You could try a body wash specifically for spot-prone skin. Tea-tree is a great natural antiseptic so possibly something with that would work well.

Even though you stay "healthy", make sure you wash straight after goin to the gym! Sweat can harbour in the pores of your skin and bring on spots. So even if you feel the urge to leave your shower til you get home, or later that evening, due to time constraints, try fit it in before you leave the gym.

Small things that may help, but if in doubt, go see your G.P.!

aye

not sure if this will help, but if you're spending a long time in the shower i.e. more than 3 or 4 mins. your skin will dry out. this can also cause spots, so try getting in and outta the shower quick smart.

hunnymonster

Also, shower as soon as you finish playing sport. I don't know if it's the dried sweat or something else but a few people I know had the same problem and having a shower immediately cleared it up.

iremex

i use to have a lot of spots on my face when i was younger and they appeared out of nowhere. when i wouldnt wash my face they would start fading away. obviously i had to wash my face. turns out it was the scrub cloth and soap i was using was givin me the reaction as i have sensitive skin.

try using something like an exfoliant gel and scrub gently so as not to aggrevate it

Angeles

I suffered with spots on my back when i was younger, and found out the cause was a specific type of food/drink.
Check your diet, is there something you might eat or drink on a daily basis?
An alergy test might help you find it out faster, anyway for me it was cola :P When i stoped drinking that, my back cleared within a few weeks., scrubbing it the way you do won't actully help as it seems like the problem is your body trying to remove a substence through your skin, which in turn is not actully "dirt" related.

Hope this helps.

dame

Wash from the top down, ie wash hair first, then face, then torso, then the rest. If you scrub out your pores first then rinse the oils from your head down over them while they're clean and open from the heat, then the oil will lodge in them. Also conditioner in your hair is bad for spots on the body. Make sure you use a body wash to wash it off your skin after doing your hair.

Ice_Box

Put Aqueous Cream on your back within seconds of leaving the shower to lock in moisture. Aqueous Cream can be got in any chemist shop and is dirt cheap. Get a big tub for a tenner or less it will last a year. You will see a difference in a week and maybe a cure. Most expensive moisturizers contain this as a base and they just add perfume and other crap.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000160.html

This helped my brother but not completely. He got some pills from the doctor that worked very well.

dame

Good advice Icebox - Silcock's Base is about the purest - so I've heard.

lizzyvera

Spots are caused by hormones causing excess sebum secretion. Diet has never been shown to cause acne, there have been dozens of studies done on it. It's an old wives tale that fatty food causes oily skin, fat is digested and used for energy, not secreted through your pores. Basically, changing the diet makes no difference to your skin; going on the pill makes it clear up within a month.

Hair shouldn't make a difference.

If daily washing with something mildly antiseptic doesn't help you may need to go on antibiotics or your skin may scar permanantly. If you're female, certain types of contraceptive pill are more effective.

dame

lizzyvera wrote:

going on the pill makes it clear up within a month.

Certain pills only, not any pill.

Fabio

lizzyvera wrote:

Spots are caused by hormones causing excess sebum secretion. Diet has never been shown to cause acne, there have been dozens of studies done on it. It's an old wives tale that fatty food causes oily skin, fat is digested and used for energy, not secreted through your pores. Basically, changing the diet makes no difference to your skin; going on the pill makes it clear up within a month.

Hair shouldn't make a difference.

If daily washing with something mildly antiseptic doesn't help you may need to go on antibiotics or your skin may scar permanantly. If you're female, certain types of contraceptive pill are more effective.

I have found that if I stick to the same wash routine as always but cut out chocolate from my diet completely, I get no spots...

Anti

I had something similar using fcuk body wash recently. Apparently im allergic to it. but only on my back and the back of my thighs. Changed back to dove and its all fine now.

Also the spots, are you stressed about anything, as i remember my brother always got spot son his back when he was stressed/worried. Or is there anything new you are eating? new washing powder ?

I_and_I

All I can say is up your water intake, but dont do anything to radical treatment wise without consulting a medical practitioner.

the_syco

lizzyvera wrote:

Diet has never been shown to cause acne, there have been dozens of studies done on it. It's an old wives tale that fatty food causes oily skin, fat is digested and used for energy, not secreted through your pores.

OT, but I'd love to see these studies, cos I get a breakout in spots if I eat greasy chips for more than 2 nights in a row.

InFront

the_syco wrote:

OT, but I'd love to see these studies, cos I get a breakout in spots if I eat greasy chips for more than 2 nights in a row.

Then you should avoid that food.
But he's right, the theory that oily foods in themselves cause acne has been proven incorrect. Mostly everyone agrees on that much.

There is still a question about whether there is a positive relationship between certain foods and acne, i.e. can diet make your acne worse. This article suggests that yes, that is the case.
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Final%20Acne%20Article.pdf

More acne information here, this one doesn't think much of the acne-diet relationship.
http://www.acpmedicine.com/sam/pdf/med0212.pdf

rainglow

I've asked my dermatologist about this before, and she's told me that it is a myth. The reason you may see a flare-up after eating certain foods is that the bacteria that cause spots are fed, just as we are, by food. Some people's bacteria like sugar, others like dairy, others like saturated fat.

The only permanent way to get rid of acne is a course of antibiotics to clear the bacteria. Other lifestyle modifications can just put your acne into hibernation, for lack of a better word, only to resurface later.

LegacyUser

i have the same problem as the OP with a very spotty back. i waxed b4 going on holiday in december and while on holiday I exposed by back to the sun all day every day. after about 3 to 4 days they were completely gone. still are touch wood!

Civilian_Target

I second the syco's advice. A hard back brush will do you wonders, give your back a scrub when you shower...
Never tried any of these cream jobs recommended here, they might work well with it though.

dame

Maybe you should change the t-shirt (or whatever you wear next to the skin of your back), every time you shower? Putting back on cloth with the oils from your skin on it might just rub them back into the nice clean pores and put you back where you started. All this clothes washing mightn't be good for the environment though, what with all the washing powder and all!

random_banter

When I had acne I found a good covering of Zinc Ointment (avail. from most pahrmacies) would help my skin alot.

However when I had it very badly on my face, chest and back I tried everything under the sun, finally went to a proper dermatologist (on reference from the GP) and he put me on Roaccutane. All the acne was gone within 5 months! Best thing I ever did- it made me into a new person. If it's affecting you badly then it's well worth the 5 months of pills and minor side effects.

Can't reccomend it enough!

edit: of course only if your GP and dermo reccomend it to you.