How to Get Rid of Those Little Booty Bumps
Blemishes can sneak up anywhere, or more accurately, anywhere you have pores. The scalp, ears, face, and yup, even your butt.
Butt acne is super common, and it's nothing to feel embarrassed about. Sure, it can be a bummer, but with a few acne-savvy skincare products, you can definitely see the back of your butt breakouts.
To help you (and us!) make sense of it all, we looked into what causes this specific type of acne and how to keep your booty baby-smooth.
What is Butt Acne?
Butt acne is essentially any breakout you see on your bum. Just like facial acne is any spot you see on your face. It happens when the pores become clogged with excess oil, dirt, and dead skin cells.
"More than half of people with facial acne have some body acne too," notes board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. "It most commonly affects the back, shoulders, chest, neck, and upper arms, and also sometimes the buttocks."
Sometimes, butt acne isn't actually true acne. It's often confused for folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicles on your booty, which typically presents as small, red bumps that feel itchy.
Why Do You Have it?
You're not just unlucky. There is a reason why you're getting blemishes on your backside. Okay, so in some instances it can be genetics, but in most cases, you can blame butt acne on stress, hormones, and comedogenic beauty products.
Folliculitis, on the other hand, tends to occur due to tight clothing. Workout clothes like leggings and snug sports bras are particularly bad for triggering breakouts. It can also be caused by friction combined with sweating, bacteria, and yeast buildup. That's why butt acne is really common in the warmer months, when you're more likely to get sweaty.
Fortunately, you don't have to put up with buttne forever. Scroll down to hear our first hand approved skincare routine for banishing butt acne.
A Routine to Get Rid of Butt Acne
Got breakouts living on your booty, rent-free? Kick them out! Here's how.
#1: Use an Exfoliating Body Wash
Washing regularly with an exfoliating cleanser helps keep pesky pimples at bay, decreasing your chances of developing zits and folliculitis. Look for cleansers with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which slough away dead skin cells and unclog pores. Salicylic acid is the more preferable choice over benzoyl peroxide washes which tend to be irritating to some skin types.
We recommend Truly's 24k Gold Black Soap Impurity Cleanser, which is made with charcoal, black soap, and salicylic acid to decongest the skin and help kill acne-causing bacteria. It treats existing breakouts and prevents the formation of new ones.
Combine it with a washcloth for extra exfoliation. Avoid harsh antibacterial soaps that dry out the skin and leave you even more vulnerable to butt blemishes.
#2: Treat Discoloration
Got acne scars or hyperpigmentation on your booty? Fade them with a retexturizing butt scrub like Truly's Buns of Glowry Butt Polish. Designed especially for your derriere, this formula combines amino-rich watermelon with firming wheat protein and exfoliating jojoba seeds to provide an invigorating scrub.
It'll leave your skin tighter, brighter, and clearer. Plus, with continued daily use, you can expect that frustrating discoloration to gradually fade. Besides its clarifying effects, Buns Polish is extremely moisturizing thanks to its shea butter base and infusion of vitamin E and mango butter.
#3: Spot Treat
It's generally always best to treat the whole booty to prevent breakouts. However, if you're in need of an emergency zit fix, you can address the single problem using a breakout-fighting spot treatment.
We suggest Truly's Black Jelly Blemish Treatment Body Serum, a zit-zapping topical treatment made with antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories like black charcoal, tea tree oil, and witch hazel to dry up and heal blackheads, whiteheads, and pustules on your butt.
This acne fighting formula extracts dirt, dead skin and sebum out of the skin, un-clogging the pores and visibly reducing their appearance. This acne treatment doesn't just eliminate active zits. It also helps lighten up scars, dark spots, and discoloration.
#4: Moisturize with a Clarifying Body Lotion
The biggest misconception about body acne is that moisturizer should be skipped. It needs to stay! And here's why:
When your skin's not receiving enough hydration, it becomes dry. And dry skin causes your oil glands to spin into overdrive in a bid to compensate for the lack of oil on the skin. This in turn creates more oil and oilier skin, which can contribute to acne.
Stay moisturized, and you'll stay clear. Just make sure you use a lightweight lotion formulated with acne-fighting ingredients so you can hydrate while fending off blemishes.
Truly's Dragon Milk Body Lotion is a berry-scented body lotion designed to target body acne. It contains resurfacing beta hydroxy acids -- glycolic acid and lactic acid -- and brightening blackberry, which work together to unclog pores, improve skin texture, and seal in long-lasting moisture for clear, smooth skin.
#5: Patch Up Your Pimples
Got zits on your tush? Constantly tempted to squeeze or pick? We've got the solution: Truly's Pimple Party Pack.
This pack of extra large patches suit all skin types and are perfect for tackling larger body blemishes like those on your booty. Hydrocolloid works to drain zits of impurities while protecting acne for speedy overnight healing.
What Else Can You Do to Beat Butt Acne?
There are a few lifestyle changes you can make to treat and prevent booty bumps.
"Waxing should also be avoided as it can lead to further obstruction of hair follicles, worsening of inflammation, and subsequent pigmentation," says Shereene Idriss, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
It's also important to avoid harsh scrubs and scrubbing tools like loofahs, which can cause acne flareups and increase your risk of developing hyperpigmentation. And stick to tried and tested products instead of home remedies you've seen on TikTok.
If your butt acne isn't getting better, in spite of your new routine, seek guidance from a dermatology professional. You may have a skin condition that requires oral antibiotics or prescription face washes. If you're experiencing painful cysts or lesions, again, speak to your derm for the best treatment. Red, swollen boils? Seek help straight away. You may have a staphylococcus aureus (staph) infection that requires treatment right away.
