Summer is all fun and rosé until somebody breaks out on their butt: Hotter weather equals more sweat equals a greater likelihood of dealing with all kinds of annoying body blemishes, butt acne included.
Yes, pimples can and do pop up on your (other) cheeks, an issue that can be especially frustrating (and confidence-deflating) during bathing suit season. But here’s the thing: While it’s certainly possible to get zits on your backside, what you may think are run-of-the-mill pimples might actually be something else entirely different than body acne.
So, how can you tell what’s causing your butt breakouts? What’s more, how can you stop them from happening in the first instance? We asked a couple of dermatologists to explain what may be, uh, behind these irksome spots—and to share their top butt acne treatment tips and tricks.
What makes butt pimples unique from other types of acne?
Yes and no. “It is possible to get traditional acne, just like you would on your face, chest, and back, on your butt,” Omer Ibrahim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago, tells SELF. There’s one exception though: Comedones—a.k.a. whiteheads and blackheads—don’t typically show up back there (although experts aren’t sure why, exactly). Instead, you’re much more likely to see angry cysts, pustules, and nodules, because there’s a lot of friction in this area that contributes to inflammation, Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, tells SELF.
However, all of the dermatologists we spoke with were quick to point out that what’s frequently called butt “acne” actually isn’t acne vulgaris at all. More often than not, it’s really folliculitis, Kristina Collins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Austin tells SELF. It’s not a mistake. Dr. Garshick explains that folliculitis, or inflammation of the hair follicles, is characterized by small, red bumps, sometimes filled with pus. (In lighter skin, these blemishes may also look white, and in deeper skin tones, they’re typically darker, Dr. Ibrahim adds.) So, yeah, it’s not surprising that these spots can be mistaken for zits.
Your bumps may also be keratosis pilearis. KP, a.k.a. chicken skin). Dr. Ibrahim points out that this skin disorder can appear anywhere, including the butt. He says KP bumps can be flesh-colored or red in skin that is lighter, and more pigmented when the skin is darker.
If you want to clear up your “buttne,” it’s important to figure out what’s triggering it in the first place so you can treat it accordingly. Given the visual similarities between the three conditions above, identifying the cause may require a trip to the dermatologist, but there are some key differentiating factors to keep an eye out for…
What is butt acne and how can you tell if you have it?
If you’re dealing with The following is a list of the most recent and current members. Dr. Ibrahim says that there are many possible causes of acne: an excessive production of oil, sebum, or bacteria (which can cause clogged skin pores), and inflammation. He says that the combination of these factors and hormonal changes (which can cause excess oil production) is what causes acne on your face, body or butt. (Note: While extra sweat during the hot and humid summer months won’t cause acne alone, it can definitely exacerbate the situation by increasing the amount of bacteria on your skin, both derms say.)